URISA
URISA Digest
February 9, 2012 
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Leap Year Publications Offer!

Wondering what to do with that extra 24 hours we have this year on February 29? Why don't you catch up on your reading?

MGMT Handbook

For a limited time, and only through February 29, you can purchase both THE GIS MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK and the URISA Salary Survey at a significant discount.  

 

During this Leap Year promotion, members can purchase both publications for $125 (normally $209). 

Click here to take advantage of this special offer!


Join If you have not yet renewed your 2012 URISA membership dues, please do so today!
Memberships not renewed for 2012 will lapse in 20 days! 

 
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 Contributions to URISA - a 501(c) (3) organization - are tax deductible in the U.S. All contributions will be used to further the mission of URISA through the delivery of existing programs and the development of new programs. 

Is GIS Part of the CA Public Records Act?
On February 2, 2012 the URISA Board considered co-signing a GIS amicus curiae letter in the California Supreme Court case of Sierra Club v. Superior Court (County of Orange).  The Board had earlier endorsed consideration of the Orange County decision by the California Supreme Court.  While each Board member had their reasons to support or to not support signing the amicus curiae letter, there was not a majority in support.

This decision should not be seen as a change in URISA policy. URISA has and continues to urge states, provinces, and national governments to implement policies and practices that enable the widest possible sharing and easiest possible access to geospatial data by the public. In its latest expression of this consistent policy position, the URISA Board of Directors adopted the 2012 URISA Advocacy Agenda on January 5, 2012, which includes:

2.  Nationwide Development of High Quality, Publicly Accessible Geospatial Data:
a.  Develop, implement Geospatial Capability Maturity Assessment
b.  Coordinate advocacy with NSGIC and others on For the Nation data initiatives
c.  Support the Coalition of Geospatial Organizations (COGO) Data Sharing Initiative

While the Board decided to not sign the letter, we urge every URISA member to inform yourself of the details of this case and to make your own decision to sign or not to sign the GIS amicus curiae letter.

Sincerely,
Greg Babinski, MA, GISP
URISA President

If you would like to learn more about this case, visit http://calpubrec.org/oclawsuit/

Article in CADALYST by Bruce Joffe

Do you have an opinion? Join the discussion on View our profile on LinkedIn
  
Call for Presentations - check the deadlines

URISA/NENA 2012 Addressing Conference  

August 6-9, 2012
Memphis, Tennessee   

  • Abstract submissions due on or before February 13  

GIS-Pro 2012: URISA's 50th Annual Conference for GIS Professionals

September 30 - October 4, 2012
Portland, Oregon     

  • Abstract submissions due on or before February 17 

URISA's 2012 Caribbean GIS Conference 

November 12-16, 2012
Montego Bay, Jamaica   

  • Abstract submissions due on or before April 2
Upcoming URISA Connect Webinar Events

GIS as Time Machine - February 29, 2012
Presenter: Peirce Eichelberger  

 

Flood Hazards: GIS Applied in the Collection and Dissemination of Spatial Data - March 27, 2012
Presenter: Diana Maties (new Vanguard Cabinet member!)    

More Events in 2012

cama2012  The 16th Annual GIS/CAMA Technologies Conference will take place March 12-15 in San Antonio.   

 

 ULA2012 Early registration discounts for the 2012 URISA Leadership Academy (June 11-15, 2012 in Savannah, Georgia) are available through March 1). 

 

Calgis2012The 2012 CalGIS Conference is taking place in Sacramento, April 11-13, 2012. Learn more about this annual California event! 

Show Some Love to URISA Sponsors
With Valentine's Day next week, be sure to 'show some love' to URISA's wonderful sponsors! We greatly appreciate their support. Check out our online Sponsor Directory.   

 

Sincerely,  

Wendy Nelson
Executive Director, URISA
  

    

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