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What are Professional Standards and Why are They Important?
What are Professional Standards and Why are They Important?

By Roy B. Garfinkel, LS, Chair, NYSAPLS Minimum Technical Standards Committee
B y R o y B. G arfinkel, LS, Chair , NYSAPLS M inimum T echnical S tandar ds Committee

t with defining just what exactly P
s star
’
r
ofessional
Let’s start with defining just what exactly Professional
Let
tandar
e…
ds ar
S
Standards are…
efers to any
ofessional r
one who earns
The term professional refers to anyone who earns
The term pr
their living fr om per forming an activity that r equir es
their living from performing an activity that requires
e
a certain level of education, skill, or training. There is
is
a cer
skill, or
training.
el of
Ther
education,
tain lev
typically a r equir ed lev el of competency , kno wledge, or
typically a required level of competency, knowledge, or
education that must be demonstrated (often in the form
education that must be demonstrated (often in the form
of an exam or credential), as well as adhering to codes of
of an exam or cr edential), as w ell as adhering to codes of
conduct and ethical standards.
conduct and ethical standar ds.
ofessional
original meaning
the wor
“
pr
d
of
”
The
The original meaning of the word “professional” was
was
fr
M
nglish
iddle E
om the
ed
wor
”
ofes
(M
iddle
deriv
derived from the Middle English word “profes” (Middle
d
pr
“
E nglish was a form of the E nglish language spoken
English was a form of the English language spoken
after the Norman conquest of 1066 until the late 15th
after the N orman conquest of 1066 until the late 15th
century). The word “profes” is an adjective meaning
centur y). The wor d “ pr ofes ” is an adjectiv e meaning
ofessed one
having professed one’s vows, which derived from Late
having pr
o
s v
ws, which deriv
ed fr
’
om Late
d pr
t fr
d
om the wor
ofessus, which is in par
Latin wor
Latin word professus, which is in part from the word
profitēri which meant to profess or confess. The thought
pr ofitēri which meant to pr ofess or confess. The thought
ofessionals w
er
ofessed
pr
’ their
was that professionals were those who ‘professed’ their
was that pr
e those who ‘
form their pr
’ to per
w
ed
skill to others, and ‘vowed’ to perform their profession
ofession
o
v
skill to others, and ‘
to the highest standar
d.
to the highest standard.
In its original meaning, the essence of being a
I
n its original meaning, the essence of being a
professional was to have made a public commitment
pr ofessional was to hav e made a public commitment
d of per
formance, to integrity
to a high standar
, and to
to a high standard of performance, to integrity, and to
public ser vice.
public service.
Licensing for a pr ofession is intended to ensur e that
Licensing for a profession is intended to ensure that
only competent and ethical individuals practice in
only competent and ethical individuals practice in
ofession r
an occupation. The reason a profession requires a State
eason a pr
.
equir
The r
tate
es a S
an occupation
tant, it is for the
licensure is basic and yet very important, it is for the
e is basic and y
licensur
er
y impor
et v
otection and w
protection and well-being of the general public.
pr
ell-being of the general public.
to
om
come
the
fr
”
wor

d
d
“S
The word “Standard” is thought to come from the
The
thought
tandar
is
Frankish (an ancient western German language) term
F rankish (an ancient w estern G erman language) term
to “standhard”, meaning quite literally to take a strong
to “ standhar d ”, meaning quite literally to take a str ong
and firm stance. The definition of a standard or a set
and firm stance. The definition of a standar d or a set
of standar
ds as it applies to modern terms accor
of standards as it applies to modern terms according to
ding to
fr
eedictionar
y
.com is:
freedictionary.com is:
n exact v
“
act
, or an abstr
A
alue, a physical entity
“An exact value, a physical entity, or an abstract
,
y authority
concept, established and defined by authority,
concept, established and defined b
custom, or common consent to serve as a reference,
custom, or common consent to ser v e as a r efer ence,
model, or rule in measuring quantities or qualities,
model, or r ule in measuring quantities or qualities,
establishing pr actices or pr ocedur es, or ev aluating
establishing practices or procedures, or evaluating
results. A fixed quantity or quality.” ”
r
esults. A fix
.
ed quantity or quality
8 EMPIRE STATE SURVEYOR / VOL. 57 • NO 6 / 2021 • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER