How Will ROPA Work?
SOPA continues to operate, but will become dormant as an organization when ROPA is formally constituted in the near future. ROPA will start by adopting most of the procedures that have been developed by SOPA. It will have its own board, which will be responsive to the wishes of the RPAs and the sponsoring organizations. ROPA’s program for establishing, promoting, and enforcing standards will, of course, continue to evolve in the future. Most professions have some type of certification system that provides a way of sanctioning individuals who display grossly unprofessional conduct. Many of these systems are heavily loaded toward regulating entry into the profession. This is usually accomplished by rigorous testing, and those who are certified are often then required to take additional prescribed coursework or training from time to time in order to maintain certification. However, the field of archaeology is so diverse–both intellectually and methodologically–that a testing-based appro
