The AIA Board of Directors
convened December 5–6, 2002, in Washington, D.C., to consider financial
policy, strategic planning through 2005, awards, the national component
management report, public policy, nomination and election procedures for
national Institute officers, an agreement toward international licensure,
and appointments to office. Following are highlights.
Revised Reserve Policy
The Board approved a revised Reserve Policy, and directed the AIA secretary
to develop language in the Institute Governance Policies to require that
unrestricted investments equal 33 percent of the Institute’s total
annual budgeted revenue. In current terms, that would be approximately
$12.5 million. Compliance with this requirement must be achieved by the
end of 2004. The new policy also will require total net assets to equal
20 percent of annual budgeted revenue. At current budget levels, that
would be approximately $7.5 million. This requirement is to be achieved
no later than December 31, 2007. Should reserves fall below either of
the two stated standards once those goals have been achieved, the succeeding
year’s budget will include a minimum contribution to reserves equal
to 2.5 percent of budgeted operating revenue until the minimum reserve
levels have been restored.
Financial Report
The Treasurer's report noted that, as of October 2002, revenues from membership
dues and convention receipts were on budget or better, while product marketing
revenues were a bit below budget. Overall revenues at that point exceeded
expenses by a comfortable margin, and resulting total net income amounted
to a little more than $5 million (or 5.8 percent ahead of plan) through
the first 10 months of 2002.
The AIA is in a better cash position than in 2001 and only recently began
using its line of credit this year, with a balance of $500,000 as of early
December, compared to a balance of $2 million on the line of credit just
one year ago.
Proposed Strategic Plan and Operating
Plan and Budget
The Board discussed and adopted the proposed AIA 2003/2005 Strategic Plan
and the proposed AIA 2003 Capital Budget, and endorsed the AIA 2003/2004
Operating Plan and Budget prepared by management.
Selection of 2003 Award Recipients
Institute honors for 2003 include:
• The Miller/Hull
Partnership LLP as the recipient of the 2003 AIA Architecture Firm Award
• Marvin
J. Malecha, FAIA, as recipient of the AIA/ACSA Topaz Medallion for Excellence
in Architectural Education
• The Hispanic
American Construction Industry Association (HACIA) as recipient of the
2003 Whitney M. Young Jr. Award
• C. James Lawler
Jr., FAIA, as recipient of the 2003 Edward C. Kemper Award.
Management Report
Regarding the Membership Pilot Programs approved at the 2002 AIA convention
in Charlotte, “Broadening Membership and Strengthening the Institute
(AIA),” the Institute issued a call for proposals for membership
pilot programs in 2002. To date, 24 proposals have been received and are
under review. (There is no specific limit on the number of programs that
could be adopted, although there is a limit on budgeted funds.) Decisions
will be announced soon.
The Convention Advisory Committee is to establish a future vision of
the convention and develop a standard framework to define the relationship
between convention host components and the national component at future
conventions.
For the AIA Contract Documents, GhostFill, the company selected to do
the programming on the new electronic format (EF) software for AIA Contract
Documents, is preparing the scope of work, template design, and other
factors involved in the software development. Budgeting for AIA Contract
Documents includes funds for marketing and promotion, education programs
designed to promote cooperation among components, and an effort to work—through
local components—to provide AIA Contract Documents at no cost to
colleges and universities for teaching purposes.
More than 64,000 AIA members have reported approximately 1.1 million
learning unit hours for the year 2002 (through November 30).
The Board reviewed the history of component revenue sharing and there
was a reaffirmation of the commitment by the national component to increase
EF Contract Documents revenue shared with participating components to
25 percent of revenue above the first $6 million achieved by the national
component each year. Revenue sharing will be a topic of ongoing discussion
for the Component Business Development Task Force.
Public Policy Review
In its ongoing responsibility to review all Institute public policies,
the Board approved these revised public policies concerning licensing
(first reading):
• Licensing: A Basic Policy
• Licensing: Accredited Degree Programs
• Licensing: Board Structure and Composition
• Licensing: Enforcement
• Licensing: Interrelationship of Architecture and Engineering
• Licensing: Corporate Practice
• Licensing: Exemptions
• Licensing: Use of the Title Architect and Its Derivatives
• Licensing: Mandatory Continuing Education
• Licensing: Definition of Architectural Practice.
The Board will consider the second reading of these public policies in
March 2003.
The Board also approved the sunsetting of one public policy, Licensing:
Maintaining Practice Competence.
Proposed Revisions to Voting Procedures
at AIA Meetings
The Secretary’s Advisory Committee made recommendations concerning
electronic voting at future Institute business meetings (including the
annual AIA national convention). The Board supported an amendment to the
Bylaws that would permit electronic roll-call votes or any other voting
method approved by the Board. That proposed amendment will be brought
before the AIA national convention delegates in San Diego in May 2003.
Revisions to Election Campaign Procedures
The Board approved the following changes to the Rules of the Board governing
election campaigns by candidates for AIA national office:
• There will no longer be nomination speeches for candidates for
first vice president/president-elect at the national convention.
• The Rules of the Board will conform to the Bylaws so that convention
delegate counts will be calculated 60 days before the start of the Institute
annual meeting.
• The Institute Secretary may announce the deadline date for the
submission of nominating petitions of candidates in any December
issue of AIArchitect.
• The Institute will have greater flexibility in providing an online
candidates’ forum.
• Candidates for AIA national office will have greater latitude
to accept non-campaign speaking engagements as long as they are not introduced
as candidates and do not conduct campaign-related activities of any type
in connection with those engagements.
The Board declined proposals to announce vote tallies for candidates
following elections or provide for certain component-sponsored campaign
appearances by candidates for first vice president/president-elect.
Long-Range Strategic Planning Process
and AIM Transition
The Board discussed possible scenarios for future long-range strategic
planning. This subject will be revisited during the Board’s meeting
in March 2003.
ACE-NCARB-AIA Accord Signing
As a result of mutual discussions to develop an agreement “. . .
containing criteria, procedures, and measures for mutual recognition .
. .,” officers of the AIA, the Architects’ Council of Europe,
and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)
signed an “Accord on Co-operation and Professionalism in Architecture.”
Annual Reports
The Board received an activities and strategies report from the American
Architectural Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Ronald
E. Bogle. Associate Director Suzanna J. Wight, Assoc. AIA, reported on
the accomplishments of the National Associates Committee and plans for
an Associate membership survey, the 2005 Internship Summit, and increased
Associate involvement in the AIA professional interest areas. Public Director
Barry Z. Posner, PhD, shared his thoughts about his first year of service
on the AIA Board of Directors. National Architecture Accrediting Board
(NAAB) Directors Ronald L. Skaggs, FAIA; Thomas L. McKittrick, FAIA; and
Robert A. Odermatt, FAIA, led discussion on issues to be addressed during
the 2003 NAAB Validation Conference.
The 2002 AIA College of Fellows Chancellor C. James Lawler Jr., FAIA,
highlighted the work of the College of Fellows during the past year. AIA
President Gordon H. Chong, FAIA, presented a Board citation for outstanding
service to Lawler.
The presidents of the collateral architectural organizations—the
Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), the American
Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS), NAAB, and NCARB—responded
to Board-member inquiries.
The Board received an update concerning the AIA/McGraw-Hill alliance,
including a report on new developments in Architectural
Record, McGraw-Hill sponsorship of a “Conference on Innovation”
in 2003, and a report on the Business
Week/Architectural Record Awards program.
Appointments and affiliation
In other action, the Board appointed:
• D. Susan J. O’Brien, AIA, as the chair of the National Ethics
Council (Council) for 2003
• Ronald P. Bertone, FAIA, and Brian P. Dougherty, FAIA, to their
second three-year terms as members of the council
• Phillip T. Markwood, FAIA, as a new member.
The Board also approved an affiliation agreement with the Society for
Design Administration.
Copyright 2003 The American Institute of Architects.
All rights reserved.
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