(Planning) Education Reform

A name change for the current Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning at UMass - Amherst, which represents the support of the fundamental paradigm shift represented in the preceding policy "papers", would be instructive.

Such changes should be implemented at all Planning and Business Schools throughout the country, and comprehensive efforts made to coordinate the activities of all institutions involved in the educational process. Schools need to allocate resources and coordinate educational activities in concert with local, regional, and worldwide economic plans.

First, a direct working relationship between the Planning School and the Business School needs to be established. Such a combined effort could be called the School of Ecological, Resource, Local & Regional, Community Planning and Implementation, or more concisely School of Planning and Implementation.

Let's work together to realize this and the associated larger associated changes.

I'd like to see your response to the proposed educational paradigm change with respect to the fundamental nature of the Planning profession, from one that tends to emphasize environmental law to one that incorporates environmental business (is there such a thing?).

Please contact me at katerimarie@netzero.net if you are interested in the aforementioned (very concise) policy papers.

Thank you.