About the UMass ASLA

The UMass ASLA is the student chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), the professional association for landscape architects at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst (UMass).  Additionally, we are affiliated with the Boston Society of Landscape Architects.  The majority of our members are enrolled in either the undergraduate or the graduate program of landscape architecture at UMass, however we are open to all members of the Five Colleges in the Amherst area. 

Founded in 1899, ASLA is the national professional association for landscape architects, representing more than 17,000 members in 48 professional chapters and 68 student chapters. Landscape architecture is a comprehensive discipline of land analysis, planning, design, management, preservation, and rehabilitation. ASLA promotes the landscape architecture profession and advances the practice through advocacy, education, communication, and fellowship.

The official mission of the UMass ASLA to "unite interested undergraduate landscape architecture students in an effort to combine interests and desires toward fulfilling educational and social needs as well as broadening the understanding of the profession and the Society."   However, we also believe that the graduate students also pursuing degrees in landscape architecture in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning (LARP) are essential colleagues in strengthening the field.  As a result, we also welcome them into our organization and believe it is imperative to collaborate with them whenever possible. 

The UMass ASLA is governed by undergraduate students and elections are held annually each Spring. The 2007 - 2008 UMass ASLA Officers are as follows:

We are also fortunate to have a superb faculty member, Mike Davidsohn, Instructor of Landscape Architecture and Landscape Construction and Director of the Stockbridge Landscape Contracting Program, working with us to provide guidance when necessary. 

After a year of operating under their initial Constitution, the membership of the UMass ASLA approved an updated Constitution in November of 2007.  There are two significant updates in this version.  The officers were expanded from four to five in which the Vice President position was split into two positions: the Vice President of Programs and the Vice President of Communications.  This provides some structure as to the responsibilities of this formerly amorphous position.  Further, the officer election date was changed to the middle of April to allow for transition time between the current officers and the officers-elect.  The officers-elect will take on their responsibilities following the May Undergraduate Commencement.   

As part of this new Constitution, the President now has the ability to nominate several Class Representatives to assist the officers with the carrying out of the mission of the organization.  The following members have been nominated by the President and accepted by the officers as Class Representatives:

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