AIC membership categories

Lorraine Schnabel's response to my comments on membership categories
(Conservation DistList Instance: 22:58 Sunday, April 12, 2009 is
just the kind of thoughtful engagement I was hoping for. I agree
with her that the AIC must deal with the involvement of other
professionals who work in conservation subfields but who are not
trained as conservators.  This is an important issue.

As she argues, many are trained professionals and would qualify as
PAs.  I have no problem with that. On the other hand, she addresses
the issue of practitioners who are in the field but who are not
qualified to be PAs or Fellows.  I addressed this issue in several
AIC meetings in the 80s and 90s and in print in the Newsletter as
well a couple of times, but to be brief, I think that we cannot
ignore the fact that people are restoring objects nor that the
public seems to be unconcerned in general who they bring their work
to. We must address both issues. They are both problems in
education.

First of all, I do know that a great number of current AIC
associates are trained professionals, either by way of the programs
or by apprenticeship and are doing professional work.  They need to
be convinced to become PAs or Fellows. I have heard from several of
them since the vote that they intend to go forward now, but we need
to do more.  I also trust that other PAs and Fellows like myself
will uphold the standards and practice in supporting associates.

Secondly, I think that we need to do a better job of recruiting
people who are not AIC members who are practicing as conservators
and restorers to join and to improve their practice. Many will be
qualified by any measure, most will not.  In the latter case we need
to provide them with training.

I think this is an opportunity for the programs to taken on a new
role.  Where I teach at San Francisco State University we have one
of the West's best nursing programs and we do a great job in other
and related fields in providing certificates and continuing
education for professionals.  I think the programs could do this for
conservation. Thirdly, I think we need to find some way, and I admit
I am at a loss to know what, to educate the public.  But, yes,
thanks Lorraine for your comments.

Niccolo Caldararo, Ph.D.
Dept. of Anthropology
San Francisco State University


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 22:60
                 Distributed: Saturday, April 18, 2009
                       Message Id: cdl-22-60-008
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