By Constance Ramirez
The Federal Preservation Institute is a new initiative of NCPTT to meet the historic preservation training needs of Federal agencies. It is committed to five program activities:
- Provide information on historic preservation for senior Federal executives.
- Increase information about training by and for Federal agency staffs.
- Deliver short, special subject, seminars on "hot topics" for the Federal Preservation Officers that represent each agency.
- Develop knowledge and skill standards for each historic preservation task.
- Convene the Federal Training Work Group consisting of Federal agency staffs to monthly meetings to share training information, work on joint projects, and get up-to-date information about NCPTT projects and historic preservation issues.
The Institute's program was developed by Constance Ramirez while on loan from the U.S. General Services Administration. In July, the National Park Service selected her to be the institute's first director. Under her direction, the Federal Training Work Group has produced an illustrated folder, "Historic Preservation: A Responsibility of Every Federal Agency," (pdf) for agencies to use when briefing new political appointees and senior staff on their historic preservation responsibilities.
Currently, the Institute is working in cooperation with Dr. Kathleen Byrd at Northwestern State University on a website that will provide basic information to all agencies about their responsibilities for consultation with Native Americans regarding cultural resources. This and other online training for Federal agencies will be available on the NCPTT website and, in the future, on an internet learning site being developed by the Institute in partnership with George Mason University.
FPI will ensure that information from NCPTT projects is provided to Federal agencies. Also, through development of its training site, FPI expects to demonstrate how technology can serve preservation training and education.
Constance Ramirez is director of the Federal Preservation Institute.