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Continuing Education Self Study Educational Activity for Professional Engineers

Introduction

As a licensed professional in New York State, it is your professional responsibility to know the legal and ethical requirements governing the practice of your profession and to be alert to changes in those requirements. The New York State Board for Engineering and Land Surveying, in an effort to help you stay abreast of your professional responsibilities, has developed this short, self-study educational activity in ethics.

This educational activity is based on the New York State Education Law Articles 130 and 145, the Rules of the Board of Regents Parts 1, 3, 17, 18, 28, 29, 31, and the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Parts 59 and 68. It is strongly recommended that, prior to taking the self test, you review these foundational materials on the engineering web site.

Once you have reviewed the foundational materials, proceed to complete the self test below. When you have completed the self test, click the "Get your score" button at the bottom of the page. You should print this screen and save it as evidence of satisfactory completion of this educational activity. A score of 90% or greater will allow you to claim 1 Professional Development Hour (PDH) of educational activity credit in ethics ONCE in each three-year registration period. Retain your printed screen for no less than 6 years from the date of completion.

For any questions or concerns, please contact the New York State Board for Engineering and Land Surveying Office at Engineer@nysed.gov for assistance.


Questions

Select the appropriate answer for each of the following questions

  1. To qualify for a license as a professional engineer or land surveyor an applicant must fulfill all of the following criteria except:

  2. Unprofessional conduct in professional practice includes:

Please read the following advertisements for professional engineering and land surveying services. Please select the responses that indicate whether the use of the advertisement could be construed as "unprofessional conduct" and the appropriate reason for the determination.

  1. "Smith Engineering and Land Surveying PC employs the brightest and most innovative professional engineers and land surveyors in New York State"

  2. "If you select Brown Engineering and Land Surveying, PLLC for your transmission tower project, we’ll guarantee your project will be approved by your county public utilities commission"

As a licensed professional engineer or land surveyor in New York State, would you be considered as having committed unprofessional conduct for:

  1. Being in arrears on child or spousal support payments?

  2. Not returning or providing copies of records to the client upon request?

  3. Retention of all project records for a period of at least 6 years in a CAD file or other electronic version and providing only the electronic version to the client who has requested a paper copy of the file?

  4. Unprofessional conduct in the profession of engineering or land surveying includes all of the following except:

  5. As a New York State employed professional engineer, what evidence must be submitted to the Board in order to demonstrate exemption from the continuing education requirements?
    1. Human Resources verification of continuous employment with New York State or local government dating from December 31, 2003 or before, in a position requiring a PE license that is represented by a bargaining unit, or pursuant to Article 14, is designated managerial/confidential
    2. Human Resources verification of satisfactory performance in the job title, on your most recent review
    3. Human Resources verification of current job title, grade and salary rate
    4. Attestation by licensee that they have not engaged in providing professional services outside of his/her state/local government employment

  6. Is a New York State licensed professional engineer or land surveyor who provides evidence to the Board that he/she is in active military service to the United States required to complete continuing education?

  7. Which of the following categories of licensees is NOT required to complete continuing education under New York State Education Law?

  8. At the end of your current registration period, you realize that you are 6 credits short of meeting the continuing education requirement for your professional engineering or land surveying registration. Which action(s) can you legally take in order to re-register your license?
    1. Cease practicing and upon completing the 6 credits needed, re-register
    2. While continuing to practice, schedule a course for 6 credits in the near future and complete your re-registration documents as though you have already earned the credits
    3. Contact the Board Office to request a conditional registration so that you may continue to practice while completing additional continuing education credits
    4. Count extra credits you earned in your last registration period toward the current one, continue to practice, and work diligently to earn all credits required within the next registration period

  9. Except for businesses owned by individual practitioners, all businesses performing engineering and/or land surveying services in New York State must obtain and maintain a Certificate of Authorization from the NY State Education Department (NYSED).

  10. Courses acceptable for continuing education credit must be taken from which of the following providers?

  11. Documentation of accrued acceptable continuing education credit must be in the form of certificates of completion or transcripts and must be submitted at the time of registration renewal.

  12. Fee splitting consisting of directly contracting with a contractor to perform professional services for a third party on a project that is not authorized under the Infrastructure Investment Act or special legislation is an acceptable business practice relationship, and not subject to professional misconduct .

  13. A professional engineer charged with misconduct is entitled to a hearing with a panel consisting solely of engineers.

  14. A "delegatee" in the design delegation process need not be licensed in New York State to perform engineering services.

  15. Professional engineer and/or land surveyor licensees returning to the practice of their profession in New York State after a lapse in their registration must provide evidence of continuing education credits earned during the lapsed registration period(s).

  16. Affixing an electronic signature and seal to an engineering or land surveying document is an acceptable form of certification in New York State if permitted by the municipality or New York State agency that has review and approval authority over the project.