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Business of the Council
Learn how the Council of Fellows conducts its business, including the leadership roles and jury that guide the Fellows process, as well as the formal rules of conduct that support fairness and transparency.
Council of Fellows Executive Committee
Terry Warriner Ryan, FASLA, Chair
Elizabeth Kennedy, FASLA, Chair-elect
Juanita Shearer-Swink, FASLA, Immediate Past Chair
Joy Lyndes, FASLA, Secretary
Deb Guenther, FASLA, Member at Large
Kona Gray, FASLA, ASLA President, Ex-officio
The ASLA President appoints members of the jury from current Council of Fellows membership to serve three-year terms on a rotating basis. A concerted effort is made to maintain a balanced representation of different practice types and geographic locations to reflect the ASLA membership at large. The jury convenes annually to evaluate the nominations and select the new Fellows for that year.
N.B. Under no circumstances may members of the jury be contacted regarding Fellows nominations.
Council of Fellows 2024 Selection Jury
Keiji Asakura, FASLA
Jeff Carbo, FASLA
Gina Ford, FASLA
Mark Hough, FASLA
Stephanie Rolley, FASLA
COUNCIL OF FELLOWS RULES FOR THE CONDUCT OF OPERATIONS
Article 2. Advancement to Fellowship |
Article 1. General
101.Professional Membership of the American Society of Landscape Architects (Society) shall consist of Full Members, Associate Members, and International Members. Fellows of the Society shall be Full Members or International Members.
101.1 There shall be a Council of Fellows (Council / COF), comprised of Fellows of the Society, which shall function as an Autonomous Council of the Society.
101.2.The COF shall operate within the Mission, Vision, Values & Culture and the Ethics and Code of Conduct of the Society, its Constitution and By-laws.
102. The primary purpose of the COF shall be the election of new Fellows and the investiture of Fellows-elect at the time of the Annual Meeting of the Society. The COF shall also lead the fundraising and the selection of recipients for the Council of Fellows Scholarships. The COF may also make such recommendations to the Board of Trustees as it may deem appropriate and undertake additional activities in support of the profession.
103. The officers of the COF shall be a Chair, Chair-elect, Secretary, and Immediate Past Chair.
104. The COF shall have an Executive Committee (ExCom) comprised of the officers of the COF and one Fellow appointed by the Chair as the Member-at-Large. The President of the Society shall be an ex-officio member of the ExCom.
105. The COF shall be governed by the Members of the COF and administered by the ExCom.
106. Funds for the operation of the COF shall be as provided by the operating budget of the Society.
107. The business address of the COF shall be the address of the headquarters of the Society.
108. The Society shall designate and provide staff to act in support of the COF, and undertake, on behalf of the COF, such activities which may include management of the Fellows Nomination, Selection, and Investiture; the Fellow’s Scholarship recipient selection and award process; the Election of Officers, and other activities related to the operation of the COF.
Article 2. Advancement to Fellowship
201. To be considered for nomination for elevation to the Council of Fellows an individual must be a current ASLA Full Member or Full International Member (Member) in good standing, who has achieved at least 10 continuous years of FULL membership at the time of nomination, demonstrated exceptional contributions over an extended period of time, made a significant positive impact on the public and the profession, and received awards/recognition for those contributions from multiple sources.
The categories of excellence for advancement to Fellowship given in the Society's Bylaws shall be described as follows:
201.1 Works—Nomination materials should document: Mastery of design in significant works of landscape architecture, in its varied applications, which have advanced the art, stewardship, science and social responsibility of landscape architecture. Works may include small or large, public, or private, local, regional, national, or international landscapes; and range from conception (represented by reports, plans, or illustrations), to works which have been built or adopted.
201.2 Leadership/Management—Nomination materials should document: Exemplary leadership, administrative and management of people, projects, policies, and/or programs that have significantly advanced the art, stewardship, science, and social responsibility of the profession of landscape architecture and its practice, and/or the public recognition of issues regarding the design, planning, or management of projects, people and/or places. Exemplary leadership promoting landscape architecture or its values may be demonstrated in public, private, non-profit, and academic practice settings or, for example, by landscape architects holding elected or appointed offices.
201.3 Knowledge—Nomination materials should document: The creation of significant new knowledge that demonstrates expansion of existing knowledge, the communication of knowledge to others with exceptional effect: knowledge which has advanced the art, stewardship, science, and social responsibility of landscape architecture. Creation of new knowledge may be in the form of research or scholarly inquiry that has been recognized by peers as worthy of publication. Communication of knowledge may be in the form of teaching or mentoring in either the university or workplace, that has been recognized as outstanding by students, graduates, and peers. Communication of knowledge may also be in the form of published works or other media (video, software, etc.) that convey important ideas about landscape architecture with appropriate critical acclaim. This category is not specifically designated for educators, but includes the broader vision of knowledge and how it may be disseminated.
201.4 Service—Nomination materials should document: Pro bono volunteer service activities and accomplishments sustained over an extended period of time, that have significantly advanced the art, stewardship, science, and social responsibility of the profession of landscape architecture, promoted landscape architecture in the eyes of the public, and that serve as examples for other local, regional, national, or international efforts.
An ASLA Member may be nominated to become a Fellow in any of the four categories. One person may be nominated for up to two categories, but supporting nomination materials must be produced separately for each category.
202. By action of a Chapter Executive Committee, the Executive Committee of the Society, or the Executive Committee of the COF, qualified Members may be nominated for Fellowship. Nomination shall be based on recent detailed information obtained directly from the nominee. Nominees not selected for advancement to Fellowship may be re-nominated in succeeding years. The COF ExCom shall function as the nominating entity for qualified International Members.
203. The COF ExCom shall issue a standard form and instructions, to be completed in making nominations for advancement to Fellowship. Detailed information regarding eligibility, categories, schedules, guidelines for submission and requirements shall be posted on the ASLA Council of Fellows Website. Nominations must be submitted through and in accordance with the online submission system.
203.1 A list of all members of the Society who are eligible for advancement to Fellowship shall be provided to each Chapter President, Chapter Secretary, and Chapter Trustee and to the President of the Society not later than six months prior to the Nomination submission deadline. A Member listed in the current roll of the Society as a member of a certain year shall be eligible for Fellowship upon completion of ten contiguous years as a full Member without consideration of the specific day and month of the beginning of full Membership.
204 All nominations must be received on or before a date fixed annually by the COF ExCom. Said date shall be no later than four months prior to the Society's Annual Meeting and it shall be posted on the ASLA Council of Fellows website.
205. Prior to distribution to the Fellows Jury, nominations shall be screened for eligibility and conformance with the requirements of the Society's Constitution, and Article 2 herein, and nominating parties may be contacted to obtain additional information.
206. Full members of the Society may be considered for nomination for elevation to the Council of Fellows posthumously, if the requirements which follow were met prior to the Member’s death:
206.1 The individual was a current ASLA Full Member or Full International Member in good standing, who had achieved at least 10 continuous years of FULL membership at the time of nomination, demonstrated exceptional contributions over an extended period of time, made a significant positive impact on the public and the profession, and received awards/recognition for those contributions from multiple sources.
206.2 Their nomination was submitted through and in accordance with the online submission system.
206.3 Their nomination was determined to be eligible and in conformance with the requirements of the Society's Constitution, Article 2, herein.
207. Eligible nominations shall be made available to the members of the Jury of Fellows for review at least 30 days prior to the scheduled session of the Jury. If members of the Jury require further information about any nominee, the request shall be made to the Chair of Jury.
207.1 The Jury of Fellows shall meet and consider all eligible nominations in executive session and select a slate of new Fellows-elect.
207.2. Upon completion of the new list of Fellows-elect, it shall be provided in confidence to the President of the Society and to the Chair of the COF. The President of the Society shall thereupon immediately notify the Fellows-elect of their selection.
208. Written notice shall be sent to the Fellows-elect indicating that acceptance of the Fellowship requires each Fellow-elect to be present for investment at the Fellow's Investiture Ceremony and at the Annual Business Meeting of the COF. An exception to the foregoing requirements is allowable in special extenuating circumstances approved by the COF ExCom.
209. The names of each Fellow-elect shall be published on the ASLA Fellows website.
210.The designation of Fellow shall only be used by ASLA Full Members or Full International Members (including Emeritus Members) who are in good standing.
211. The Presidents of those Chapters submitting nominations for Fellowship shall be notified as to whether or not their nominees were elected to Fellowship.
212. Those nominees who were not selected for Fellowship by the Jury shall receive written notification.
Article 3. Executive Committee
301. The COF ExCom shall consider and report upon all business to be acted upon by the COF; shall conduct the operation of the election of Fellows in accordance with Article 2 of the Rules of the COF; shall put into effect the votes of the COF; and shall perform such other functions as are customary to an executive committee.
302. The COF ExCom shall annually establish a schedule of meetings during which the functions and responsibilities of the ExCom shall be conducted. A special meeting of the COF ExCom may be called as deemed necessary by the Chair of the COF.
Article 4. Election of Officers
401. The officers and the Member-at-Large shall serve two-year terms. All terms shall begin, and end, at the conclusion of the Annual Business Meeting of the COF in odd-numbered years. The Chair shall not serve a successive term except that the Chair-elect, when filling a vacancy in the office of Chair, shall complete the remainder of the term before beginning and serving a full two-year term.
402. The Chair shall appoint a Nominating Committee of three Fellows. In odd-numbered years or before a special election to select a Chair-elect, the Nominating Committee shall recommend two nominees for each office to be filled. For a general election the chair of the Nominating Committee shall submit the recommended nominees to the Chair of the COF An official ballot listing the nominees for each office, including spaces for write-in votes, shall be prepared and sent to each Fellow about four months before the Annual Meeting of the Society. The ballots shall be returned, in accordance with the stated voting requirements, by a specified date about four weeks later. If a special election is required to fill a vacancy in the office of Chair-elect, the Nominating Committee shall submit its recommendations and the election shall be conducted with all dispatch.
403. The ballots shall be tabulated and the Secretary shall notify the COF ExCom and all nominees of the results of the election. The results shall be included in the next mailing to the Fellows.
404. A vacancy occurring in the office of Secretary or Member-at-Large shall be filled by a majority vote of the COF ExCom for the unexpired balance of the term. If a vacancy occurs in the office of Chair, the Chair-elect shall assume that office, and a new Chair-elect shall be elected by the Members of the COF for the unexpired balance of the term.
Article 5. Duties of Officers
501. The Chair shall call and preside at all meetings of the COF; shall assist the President of the Society with the Investiture of Fellows; and shall perform such duties as are customary to that office.
502. The Chair-elect, in the absence of the Chair, shall call and preside at meetings of the COF, perform the duties of the Chair in the Investiture of Fellows, and accomplish such duties as are customary to the office or as may be assigned by the COF ExCom.
503. The Secretary shall perform such duties as are customary to the office or as may be assigned by the COF ExCom.
504. The Member-at-large shall perform such duties as are customary to the office or as may be assigned by the COF ExCom.
Article 6. Jury of Fellows
601. There shall be a Jury of Fellows, five in number, serving 3-year, overlapping terms. The Jurors shall be appointed by the President of the Society from nominations by the COF ExCom.
Article 7. Meetings
701. There shall be two regular meetings of the COF during the Annual Meeting of the Society.
702. The first of the two regular meetings shall be the public Investiture of Fellows at which the investment ceremony shall be held.
703. The second of the two regular meetings shall be the Annual Business Meeting of the COF, at which the regular Business of the COF is transacted.
Article 8. Amendments
801. Amendments to these Rules of the COF shall be approved by majority vote of the COF ExCom followed by an affirmative vote by a majority of Fellows present at the Annual Meeting of the COF or voting by mail ballot and shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees of the Society.
COF Rules for the Conduct of Operations: 1997; R2008; R2025
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2024 Council of Fellows Business Meeting Documents:
2023 Council of Fellows Business Meeting Documents:
2022 Annual Meeting Minutes
2021 Annual Meeting Minutes
2020 Annual Meeting Minutes
2019 Annual Meeting Minutes
2018 Annual Meeting Minutes
2017 Annual Meeting Minutes (doc)
2016 Annual Meeting Minutes (doc)
2015 Annual Meeting Minutes (doc)
2014 Annual Meeting Minutes (doc)
2013 Annual Meeting Minutes (doc)
2012 Annual Meeting Minutes (doc)
2009 Annual Meeting Minutes (doc)
2008 Annual Meeting Minutes (doc)
2007 Annual Meeting Minutes (doc)