The AIA Board of Directors is sponsoring amendments to the AIA Bylaws and has stated its support for a resolution scheduled for consideration by the delegates at the annual business meeting in Charlotte May 11. Bylaws amendments require the approval of a two-thirds majority of all votes accredited to be cast at convention, while resolutions require approval by a simple majority.

Bylaws Amendment 02-A; Term of the Student Director on the Institute's Board of Directors.
The Institute's officers and regional directors take office in December each year. The president of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) is also a member of the Institute's Board of Directors, but his or her term as AIAS president begins each year on July 1 and continues until June 30 of the following year. This proposed amendment would revise Section 6.03 of the Bylaws to confirm current practice, specifying that the individual who is AIAS president at the adjournment of the annual AIA Board meeting in December shall serve on the Institute's Board from that point until the Board's next annual meeting the following December.

Motion: The delegates assembled at the 2002 Annual Meeting amend the Institute's Bylaws to read as follows:

6.03 Student Director. The American Institute of Architecture Students shall have a representative on the Board of Directors. The Student Director shall be the person who holds the office of the President of The American Institute of Architecture Students at the adjournment of the annual meeting of the Board and shall serve as Student Director until the adjournment of the next annual meeting of the Board.

Bylaws Amendment 02-B; Apportionment of Regional Directors.
The Institute's Bylaws require that delegate representation at the Institute's annual meeting be based on the total number of assigned Architect and Associate members. By contrast, the count used to determine the apportionment of regional directors is currently based on the number of Architect members (including Emeritus members) only and does not include Associate members. This amendment would revise Section 6.012 of the Bylaws to provide that the count used to determine regional director apportionment would include both assigned Architect members and assigned Associate members in good standing.

Motion: The delegates assembled at the 2002 Annual Meeting amend the Institute's Bylaws to read as follows:

6.012 Number of Regional Directors. The total number of Directors elected from regions shall not exceed thirty-four. The number of Directors for each region shall be determined from the Secretary's annual count of assigned Architect and Associate members in good standing:

1.75% to 4% = 1 director
more than 4%, up to and including 8% = 2 directors
more than 8%, up to and including 12% = 3 directors
more than 12%, up to and including 16% = 4 directors
more than 16%, up to and including 20% = 5 directors
with one additional director for each 4% increment of the membership or fraction thereof above 20%.

Bylaws Amendment 02-C; Inclusion of Associate Representative on the Institute's Executive Committee.
Associate members are currently represented on the Institute's Board of Directors by an associate director, but do not have a representative on the Executive Committee. This amendment would provide that, upon the completion of his or her one-year term on the Board, the associate director would become a voting member of the Executive Committee. This position would be added in December 2004.

Motion: The delegates assembled at the 2002 Annual Meeting amend the Institute's Bylaws to read as follows:

6.5 The Executive Committee of the Board. There shall be an Executive Committee of the Board composed of the elected officers of the Institute and the Executive Vice President/CEO. In addition, the immediate past Associate Director shall be a voting member of the Executive Committee, and shall serve a term of one year in that position. The immediate past president of the Council of Architectural Component Executives shall also be included as a member of the Executive Committee, but shall have no voting rights on the Executive Committee. If that individual is unable or unwilling to serve, the Council shall be represented by such other individual as the Council's Executive Committee shall designate.

Bylaws Amendment 02-D; Creation of an International Associate Membership Category.
Individuals who have an architecture license or the equivalent from a non-U.S. licensing authority and demonstrate honorable standing in the profession in the locale in which they are licensed are eligible for Associate membership within the Institute. Under current practice, these individuals are commonly referred to as "International Associates." This amendment would revise Section 2.2 of the Bylaws to create an "International Associate" membership category for which such individuals would be eligible.

Motion: The delegates assembled at the 2002 Annual Meeting amend the Institute's Bylaws to read as follows:

2.2 Associate and International Associate Members.
2.21 Eligibility for Associate Membership. Individuals without architectural licenses from a U.S. licensing authority who meet any of the following requirements shall be eligible for Associate membership in the Institute:
a) Those who are eligible by education or experience and are employed, enrolled or participating in circumstances recognized by licensing authorities as constituting credit toward architectural licensure, or
b) Those who are employed under the supervision of an architect in a professional or technical capacity directly related to the practice of architecture, or
c) Those who have a professional degree in architecture, or
d) Those who are faculty members in university programs in architecture and who are actively involved in research, administration or the teaching of architecture.

2.22 Eligibility for International Associate Membership. Individuals without architectural licenses from a U.S. licensing authority who meet the following requirements shall be eligible for International Associate membership in the Institute:
a) Those who have an architectural license or the equivalent from a non-U.S. licensing authority and demonstrate honorable standing in the profession in the locale in which they are licensed. Such persons may be resident within or outside the U.S.

2.23 Rights and Privileges of Associates and International Associates.
2.231 Title. Associates in good standing may indicate that they are Associates of The American Institute of Architects, subject to applicable state laws, and may use the title Associate AIA, but not AIA Associate nor the initials AIA alone, as a suffix to their names. International Associates in good standing may indicate that they are International Associates of The American Institute of Architects, subject to applicable state laws, and may use the title International Associate AIA, but not AIA International Associate nor the initials AIA alone, as a suffix to their names.
2.232 Pin and Symbol. Associates and International Associates in good standing may wear the silver AIA pin. Associates and International Associates shall not be permitted to use the gold AIA pin nor the AIA symbol.
2.233 Privileges. Associates and International Associates shall have the same rights and privileges as Architect members, except as noted below and in Sections 2.231 and 2.232 above:
a) Associates and International Associates together may not hold more than two seats or one-third of the total seats, whichever number is greater, on section, chapter, or state organization boards.
b) Associates and International Associates may not vote on dues for Architect members.
c) Associates and International Associates together may not constitute more than one-third of any component delegation to state, regional, and national AIA conventions.
d) Neither Associates nor International Associates shall be eligible to serve as a national officer, regional director, component officer, or on the National Ethics Council.
2.234 Advancement from Associate to Architect Membership. An Associate who receives an initial license to practice architecture thereby becomes eligible for Architect membership and may not renew membership as an Associate.

Also to be considered for a vote at the convention is a resolution submitted by AIA Philadelphia, "Broadening Membership and Strengthening the Institute," which the Institute's Board of Directors has voted to support. The resolution would allow a limited number of components to run pilot programs designed to increase their membership. Results of the pilot program will be measured and reported to the components annually.

Copyright 2002 The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved.