The National Associates Committee posed three questions to the candidates for AIA office. Candidates were free to address issues raised by the questionnaire in whatever form they found most appropriate, without necessarily answering each question separately. Each response was limited to no more than 500 words. Following are the questions and the candidates’ responses, as they submitted them via e-mail to the AIA by May 17.

1. What challenges do you see ahead for the Institute and the future of the profession? Where are we best focused for the coming year (for example, membership, governance, policy, etc.)?

2. Are you committed to increasing membership diversity? Do you have examples of things that have been done in your region or locally to address the issue of diversity? What do you feel the AIA can do at different component levels to increase and enhance diversity?

3. Where in the AIA do you feel alternative or nontraditional career professionals (both licensed and unlicensed) best fit in and can best be served and represented?

Click on a candidate’s name to view his or her response:

Gaines B. Hall, FAIA
Kate Schwennsen, FAIA

John H. Baker, AIA
Shannon Kraus, AIA
Thomas R. Mathison, AIA
Scott Simpson, FAIA
RK Stewart, FAIA
Stephen T. Swicegood, FAIA

Orlando T. Maione, AIA
Robert E. Middlebrooks, AIA
John C. Senhauser, FAIA.

First Vice President/President-Elect Responses

Gaines B. Hall, FAIA
What challenges do you see ahead for the Institute and the future of the profession? Where are we best focused for the coming year (for example, membership, governance, policy, etc.)?
If we as an organization are serious about the “AIA Brand,” the first thing we have to do is to begin couching our interests and concerns in terms of AIA Architects rather than “the profession.” We cannot simultaneously strive to make things better for our members and include the entire profession (nonmembers) in our deliberations and writings. Rather, we should recalibrate our thought process as AIA Architects to focus on items of benefit to us. With timely and appropriate actions that will increase society’s perceived value of the AIA Architect, we will have created the mechanism to increase membership simultaneously while enhancing our stature in the eyes of the general public. Since the AIA is the largest organization representing the profession, whatever we can do in the name of the AIA and for the benefit of the AIA Architects will be positive for the profession. We must, however, begin speaking and writing in terms of “Problems Facing AIA Architects.” We are the ones paying the bills and spending the time and effort to facilitate change.

The previous paragraph is for the purpose of establishing the mindset for all that we do subsequently. The major problem facing AIA Architects is that we have compartmentalized ourselves in the eyes of society. Generally, we are thought of primarily, if not only, in two ways. For the informed client the AIA Architect is the entity who can bring design imagination to a project. For the uninformed client, the AIA Architect is a legal requirement to help get through the building department because state laws require an architect’s seal. AIA Architects have little to no credibility in terms of budget establishment or control, no project management expertise, no development knowledge, no construction savvy, and no overall construction coordination capability. That is a generalization of course, but generally it is true. The serious problem to overcome, therefore, is to break out of our compartment in a way that warrants society’s respect and confidence in a broader sense. I intend to make some major points and issue some significant challenges in my remarks at the convention that will shed more light on this issue.

We seem to be best focused for the coming year in further refining Knowledge Communities and continuing to seek ways to increase their value to our membership that will further increase our value to society. I will address this issue in my convention speech as well. As we take steps to enhance the perception of AIA Architects in the eyes of society by adjusting our communication terminology so that society understands better our message and our value, we will have begun a very positive direction.

(See also candidate’s response to AIACC’s questionnaire.)

Are you committed to increasing membership diversity? Do you have examples of things that you have done in your region or locally to address the issue of diversity? What do you feel the AIA can do at different component levels to increase and enhance diversity?
The answer to the first question is yes. My commitment comes with a price tag, however, and that price tag is not in terms of dollars. It is in terms of collective commitment by every member. I do not have an example to cite, but I can tell you that just as diversity has been a struggle of many years within our society as a whole, the struggle will be no less for the AIA if we depend solely on programs at the national level to achieve the goal. All of the factors that define membership diversity when speaking in general terms disappear with each of us when we get to the personal level. Each of us knows, loves, and respects individuals who constitute a very diverse palette. Because we know them, however, we give little thought to how they differ; we just love them and respect them because we know them as human beings. Having taken the time to serve several years as a member and subsequently as president of the Bi-Racial Study Group in the town where I grew up and practiced, I can attest firsthand to the difference that personal involvement makes in the quest for diversity at the local level. That is the starting point that then must be reinforced by the organization.

Therefore, our leaders, including me if elected, must be fully committed to membership diversity and create programs to assist in the effort, and I am ready to do so; but to be successful, we must have the same high level of commitment at every component level, and that commitment translates to the individual members. As a beginning point, every AIA member must be an ambassador of the effort and spend personal time in secondary schools educating and encouraging consideration of our illustrious profession as a career path. Trying to achieve a diverse membership from current architecture students and interns will help, but because the ratio within those groups at present generally reflects the ratio in the current membership, we likely will not see a quick change. An important step is to get a diverse population interested in the profession, and that is a long-term undertaking. Nevertheless, it must be begun if we ever can expect to make an impact in that all-important area of concern.

Where in the AIA do you feel alternative or nontraditional career professionals (both licensed and unlicensed) best fit in and can best be served and represented?
All of us, regardless of whether we are traditional or nontraditional career professionals, have special areas of interests. That fact is evidenced by our multiple Knowledge Communities that focus in specific directions. Because, as individuals, we have special interests, it seems that the need is to define the various areas of interest of nontraditional career professionals, perhaps under the umbrella of Knowledge Communities. The greatest benefit we, as AIA members, can receive from our Knowledge Community idea is to harness the collective knowledge of our members, regardless of career path, and make that knowledge an easy and accessible commodity by developing methods of generous sharing on a timely basis. If we can harness the knowledge that exists within our membership in a way that we can access each other’s understanding and capabilities, we will be on the way to achieving a whole far greater than the sum of its parts, and a whole into which everyone can fit comfortably while mutually benefiting every area of interest and expertise. It is called collective sharing. [ top ]

Kate Schwennsen, FAIA
1) What challenges do you see ahead for the Institute and the future of the profession? Where are we best focused for the coming year (for example, membership, governance, policy, etc.)?

The most serious problems facing the architectural profession in America are age-old problems, with 21st-century challenges and consequences. The greatest opportunities will be found in our solutions to these problems. All professions evolve through time, technology, and markets. Expanded practices, diversified employment settings, globalized practices, and the devaluation of professions are changes that challenge our traditional definitions of the “architect” and “practice,” and, correspondingly, the needs of AIA members.

Meeting these challenges requires the continuing evolution of our profession and demands our focus on three things:

• Bridging the profession’s communities. The AIA is us, its members: It should be easy for any member, from emerging to seasoned professional, to say, “This is what my Institute does for me.”
• Connecting architecture’s areas of knowledge. Architectural knowledge must be generated, legitimized, and made useful to sustain the profession in this century.
• Strengthening our collective voice. We must be the primary advocates for the design of livable, beautiful, healthy communities. Architects’ professional status and worth are dependent on our ability to enhance lives, to make the world more commodious, sustainable, and delightful.

The AIA is now, early in the 21st century, with our recent fiscal challenges behind us, and with collaborative leadership among components and collaterals, poised to address these issues strategically and bring significant value to members, their clients, and the public.

(See also candidate’s response to AIACC’s questionnaire.)

2) Are you committed to increasing membership diversity? Do you have examples of things that have been done in your region or locally to address the issue of diversity? What do you feel the AIA can do at different component levels to increase and enhance diversity?
3) Where in the AIA do you feel alternative or nontraditional career professionals (both licensed and unlicensed) best fit in and can best be served and represented?

The issues of membership diversity and alternative careers are related, because both are about difference and variety. I am committed to increasing membership diversity so that the profession, its clients, and the public may benefit. The architectural problems of the 21st century are complex, demanding multidisciplinary, multicultural, multigenerational responses and attention. The faces and brains around the table must be diverse.

Diverse and alternative career professionals are needed throughout the AIA. As an educator, I am a nontraditional career professional. Obviously, I feel that the AIA has something to offer me in my nontraditional career. There are times, however, when I feel like a minority voice, when I look around the table and see few nontraditional peers. Some members fear that with diversity we gain breadth, but lose depth. I fear that without breadth, without engaging those who are at the boundaries of the profession, we lose much more than depth. We become narrow, provincial, and hindsighted. Our “traditional” members do and will benefit from the knowledge the organization gains from nontraditional professionals.

We need to bridge the profession’s diverse communities by:

• Expanding the community, increasing membership to be an inclusive majority of all architects eligible for membership
• Strengthening local, regional, and national connections and collaborations
• Mentoring and learning from our next generation
• Cross-pollinating the expertise of traditional and nontraditional members.

The voice of the unlicensed is gaining important influence and credibility through the remarkable work of the National Associates Committee and its collaborator, ArchVoices. The “Internship and Career Survey Final Report” provides abundant and useful information about how the AIA can serve and represent these emerging professionals and colleagues better, nurturing our next generation. [ top ]

VICE PRESIDENT CANDIDATE RESPONSES

John H. Baker, AIA
1. What challenges do you see ahead for the Institute and the future of the profession? Where are we best focused for the coming year (for example, membership, governance, policy, etc.)?
Our society faces a great task—the creation of new human environments that sustain us into the future and that provide inspiration and leadership to the people of the world who are (like it or not) joining the global economy. This of course is a great opportunity for architects to lead, and it represents our greatest challenge.
Leadership is based on trust. We build trust by demonstrating that we are technically competent, that we have the wisdom to make good judgments, and that we hold the well-being of the communities we serve above our own interests. This is the essence of professionalism, and, when we achieve it, society rewards us.
Architects build trust by coming together as The American Institute of Architects to support each other’s efforts to build better places. By sharing our knowledge, we enhance our abilities. By sharing our resources we can play an important role in the development of new knowledge and new tools to better build. The Institute must support the efforts of its knowledge communities and its many components to facilitate this sharing.

Architects must support and nurture emerging professionals, young and old. We need new energy, new ideas, new experiences, and new faces. We need to be a part of the communities we serve if we are to be trusted and if we are to serve them well.

Architects need to speak with one voice. We need to develop messages that speak to our communities and for our communities. We must advocate with authority and understanding things that are important to our communities. The future of communities is the future of our profession.

2. Are you committed to increasing membership diversity? Do you have examples of things that have been done in your region or locally to address the issue of diversity? What do you feel the AIA can do at different component levels to increase and enhance diversity?
The American Institute of Architects membership should be diverse. It should be no less diverse than the population of American architects, which should be no less diverse than the communities we serve. From the faces and names I encounter in my travels around the country, I conclude we (the Institute and the profession) are not yet there.

Diversity is a matter of our survival. If architects want to be trusted by our communities, we must demonstrate we are part of our communities—having learned from the communities’ experiences and cultures. Further, we cannot afford to ignore the contributions to be made by committed men and women who may be dissuaded or discouraged from participation by circumstances of their cultural or economic backgrounds.

• Remove unnecessary barriers to licensure. Do not lower the standards, but remember that small barriers loom large to persons overcoming other social barriers. This is a matter of advocating a refined system of education, internship, and examination that encourages qualified individuals into the profession.
• Raise the stature of architects so that the profession rewards its participants in proportion to the risks and commitments architects undertake. This will make it possible for more individuals from historically disadvantaged communities to afford to join our ranks.
• Teach our communities, at all levels, but especially through their youth, how to perceive, experience, question, and enjoy the architecture around them. Form alliances, locally and nationally, with organizations that serve the young.

3. Where in the AIA do you feel alternative or nontraditional career professionals (both licensed and unlicensed) best fit in and can best be served and represented?
As an “alternative or nontraditional career professional” myself, I will answer this personally.

The greatest value I receive from my membership in the Institute is the opportunity to participate in the improvement of the built environment through my work in the organization. The greatest value members (all members) bring to the Institute is their willingness to invest time, wisdom, and energy to this common mission.

The community of architects is enhanced by the diversity of views, aptitudes, and experiences of its members. We are diminished if we allow ourselves to become elitist and intolerant of the voices and presence of those who are different. [ top ]

Shannon Kraus, AIA
1. What challenges do you see ahead for the Institute and the future of the profession? Where are we best focused for the coming year (for example, membership, governance, policy, etc.)?
As the role of the architect and the needs of our clients continue to evolve, the biggest challenge for the Institute is to continue to expand its relevancy as the organization for this profession. To do this, we must elevate our focus on diversity, knowledge, advocacy, and emerging professionals. We must utilize the data and knowledge gathered over the years to make informed decisions that will propel us forward.

(See also candidate’s response to AIACC’s questionnaire.)

2. Are you committed to increasing membership diversity? Do you have examples of things that have been done in your region or locally to address the issue of diversity? What do you feel the AIA can do at different component levels to increase and enhance diversity?
The AIA must be committed to increasing membership diversity—especially since the Institute is ultimately defined by who its members are—as such, I am committed to diversity.

Collectively, we must identify and remove barriers that limit access to our profession. We must engage those interested in pursuing licensure, and mentor them. We must reach out to groups that don’t find the profession accessible, and be open to them. And, we must challenge emerging professionals to take ownership in the profession, and welcome them when they do so. We must do this so that together we can find growth through an expanded knowledge base that the member can leverage and better serve our clients and communities.

There are many program examples out there working towards this issue. As an Institute, we must identify them so we may draw upon great initiatives that are already under way and leverage the Institute’s resources to help support their continued success. Working with the Board Diversity discussion group and the AIA Diversity Committee, I can tell you that this is one of our top priorities. A resolution sponsored by both of these groups, and several of your chapters, will hopefully be the first of several initiatives towards this endeavor.

3. Where in the AIA do you feel alternative or nontraditional career professionals (both licensed and unlicensed) best fit in and can be best served and represented?
Alternative career professionals best fit in as valued members of the organization—associate or otherwise. Over the past several years, many roles once considered alternative have become more mainstream. Project delivery systems such as design/build, specialties such as health-care design, and certifications like LEED™ are all examples of this evolution. Thus, we have the opportunity to determine in what ways we wish to expand our circle of influence by welcoming nontraditional career professionals who share our mission into the AIA.

However, this is a difficult issue. Although the National Associates Committee has welcomed these individuals, we really aren’t reaching as many of the nontraditionals as we should. We must seek ways to provide improved programs, member benefits, and resources if we are truly to embrace them, and there are chapters that do this on various levels.

To be honest, the issue of embracing alternative career individuals is closely related to the diversity issue, and should be addressed with the same level of commitment. Not only must we become more diverse, but this diversity should include those in alternative careers so that we, The American Institute of Architects, can represent the full breadth and depth of the profession to become even better advocates for the profession, our clients, and our communities. [ top ]

Thomas R. Mathison, AIA
1. What challenges do you see ahead for the Institute and the future of the profession? Where are we best focused for the coming year (for example, membership, governance, policy, etc.)?

AIA
Nurturing a diverse new generation of architects is essential to attract the best and brightest. The AIA can provide the leadership and tools for better education, training, and work experiences. Architects and firms must get involved and be committed.

Membership growth and diversity are achievable through value to members, outreach to underrepresented communities, relevance to society, and reformed membership categories and dues structure.

Heightened communication between local and national leadership will help foster the concept of “one AIA.”

A multiyear approach to planning, including sustained funding and committed leadership, is required to address core issues: emerging professionals, diversity, membership growth, knowledge generation, advocacy, etc.

The Profession
Marginalization is an ongoing challenge as new kinds of service providers address the need for ever-increasing speed, quality, accuracy, and specialization. To provide expertise in design, project management, team leadership, business management, alternative delivery approaches, and technology, architects need knowledge, training, and continuing education as never before.

Globalization expands design markets, but also outsourcing of architectural jobs, impacting job opportunities for students, interns, associates, and architects in the U.S. Architects have an incentive to gain more knowledge to create greater value, build closer relationships, and creatively meet the needs of our clients and communities.

Promising Areas for 2005
Last year, I helped craft new AIA policies for Architecture Education. I believe the AIA is poised to develop forward-looking policies in areas of diversity and advocacy.

There is growing excitement in the livable communities agenda, and I believe that tangible initiatives are imminent. I am in full support. We must refine our objectives and terms of success and adequately communicate our goals to all levels of the AIA.

As a member of the Long Range Planning Advisory Group, we are taking on tough questions of governance to make the AIA stronger, more nimble, and more responsive.

The AIA will strengthen the Knowledge Communities and improve communication between AIA components and AIA Knowledge Communities to access available knowledge.

2. Are you committed to increasing membership diversity? Do you have examples of things that have been done in your region or locally to address the issue of diversity? What do you feel the AIA can do at different component levels to increase and enhance diversity?

Increasing membership diversity is a priority. We will not be more relevant, more engaged in our communities, and have a greater collective voice without it. I am a member of the Emerging Professionals Board Group and the Board’s Diversity Group.

In 1999, I founded the AIA Michigan Mentoring Network to mentor students in Michigan’s architecture schools. This year included 160 students, including many women and minorities. I believe mentoring will increase underrepresented groups among future architects.

AIA Michigan also has an innovative K-5 curriculum in place in pilot schools in Michigan. As this curriculum becomes widespread, we will encourage all children to consider design as a career.

Raising the awareness of the “what” and the “why” of diversity must be a front-burner issue. We have some demographic statistics (the “what”). We need to learn why to overcome the impediments of diversity. The AIA needs a proactive, regularly funded effort to better understand our membership (and future membership) and implement a strategic action plan.

We must reach out to underrepresented communities with personal leadership and initiative, through engagement with students, interns, associates, non-AIA architects, women, and minorities to encourage them to participate in the AIA. Non-architects can contribute to the richness of our organization through new membership categories.

3. Where in the AIA do you feel alternative or nontraditional career professionals (both licensed and unlicensed) best fit in and can best be served and represented?

For licensed professionals, the best fit is our Knowledge Community structure. We can expand the number of communities to incorporate alternative careers, similar to the “Corporate Architecture” (CA) and “Educator/Practitioner Network” (EPN) knowledge communities.

For non-licensed professionals, we should expand our membership categories to bring them into the AIA and invite them to participate and contribute to our knowledge. [ top ]

Scott Simpson, FAIA
1. What challenges do you see ahead for the Institute and the future of the profession? Where are we best focused for the coming year (for example, membership, governance, policy, etc.)?
Over the past three years, the AIA has undergone a remarkable turnaround and now stands on sound financial footing. As we look ahead, the major challenges and opportunities are:
First: By maintaining our financial discipline and avoiding the return of deficit spending, we can invest with confidence in the programs that are of greatest benefit to our membership.
Second: By truly embracing inclusiveness and diversity, we can build our membership base; I’d set an ambitious goal of 100,000 members within 5 years.
Third: By focusing on the creation of “new knowledge” we can reclaim our leadership role in the fast-changing design and construction industry.
Fourth: We must find a way to knit together the local, regional, and national components of the AIA and become a truly integrated organization.

(See also candidate’s response to AIACC’s questionnaire.)

2. Are you committed to increasing membership diversity? Do you have examples of things that have been done in your region or locally to address the issue of diversity? What do you feel the AIA can do at different component levels to increase and enhance diversity?
Simply put, demographics is destiny. To truly be effective and touch the lives of the greatest number of people, the AIA should embrace the largest possible constituency. I am fortunate to be a member (since 1979) of the Boston Society of Architects (BSA), one of the largest chapters in the country and one that has set the standard for inclusiveness and diversity. At the BSA, we have multiple categories of membership and happily invite all who have a true interest in the profession to participate fully in our programs. We take advantage of their energy and talent at every level of the organization, and this is a big reason why the BSA is thriving. I realize that some are sensitive to issue of licensure, but it must be remembered that the AIA itself does not license anyone. Therefore, it needn’t be a barrier to active and effective participation at the Institute.

3. Where in the AIA do you feel alternative or nontraditional career professionals (both licensed and unlicensed) best fit in and can best be served and represented?
Design is not just about making buildings—it concerns itself with the entire environment and everything that we do within it. Therefore, it’s fertile ground for many talented people who may not be on the narrow path to licensure or traditional practice. New tools, materials, technologies, and techniques are creating profound changes in the design and construction industry, and those who seek a nontraditional path can be true leaders in the profession. The AIA should actively encourage this “cross fertilization.” There is no need to place artificial limits on what we can do, or with whom. [ top ]

RK Stewart, FAIA
1. What challenges do you see ahead for the Institute and the future of the profession? Where are we best focused for the coming year?
Using an inclusive strategic planning process for the last several years, the AIA’s focus in the year ahead will be the result of a collaborative process including NAC participation. Given the increased strategic policy emphasis of the Board, I anticipate advocacy for issues that advance our values and protect the profession to be one area of focus. Sustainable design, livable communities, and communicating our values will become more important in the year ahead. We must continue our increased focus on Emerging Professionals issues begun this year, evolving IDP, expanding mentorship programs and especially convening the IDP Validation Summit. It has been a privilege to champion those efforts this year as a Vice President. Having begun the expansion of learning opportunities through revitalized Knowledge Community efforts, we must realize that potential by delivering on their promise. Key opportunities ahead relate to project delivery alternatives and the project team context for use of digital technology. Rather than taking on multiple new initiatives, the profession will be best served by the National Component completing some of the efforts currently under way.

(See also candidate’s response to AIACC’s questionnaire.)

2. Are you committed to increasing membership diversity? Do you have examples of things that have been done in your region or locally to address the issue of diversity? What do you feel the AIA can do at different component levels to increase and enhance diversity?
We have talked about the diversity issues for far too long. If architects are truly to serve society, we need to become a mirror of that society, reflecting its racial, gender, and cultural make-up, to understand its aspirations and heritage. My belief is that by encouraging under-represented groups to participate in AIA decision-making and leadership positions, we increase the organization’s understanding of issues important to these members and provide role models for young people who aspire to join the profession. As a local, regional, and national leader I have actively sought out smart, committed people to run for component board and leadership positions. When given the opportunity to appoint committee and task-force members, I ensure that diversity is one criterion for selection. As President and Ex Com member of AIACC I nurtured the start of programs that became the Mentorship Program and Academy of Emerging Professionals, now fully implemented. My current efforts at the national component encouraging Emerging Professional issues also speak to my commitment to this issue.

3. Where in the AIA do you feel alternative or nontraditional career professionals (both licensed and unlicensed) best fit in and can best be served and represented?
I have long been troubled by the differentiation the “traditional” and “nontraditional” names imply. As the issues to be addressed in making the built environment support people better become more complex, I realize we need to work more collaboratively within communities to achieve meaningful results. As our clients seek additional expertise and different ways to deliver projects, I understand we need to broaden our perspective about what architects do. As more people educated in architecture school enter government service, client organizations, and similar work settings, I see the benefits of “architectural thinking” amongst those we work with increasing our impact. As a result, I believe everyone with education and experience in architecture has a place within the AIA. All levels of components, the Knowledge Communities, committees, task forces, AIA leadership, the profession, and those we serve benefit from as broad a base of expertise as possible. [ top ]

Stephen T. Swicegood, FAIA
1. What challenges do you see ahead for the Institute and the future of the profession?
I address the future of the profession in my answers to the AIA California Council’s questions (see www.aiacc.org), so here’s my take on key challenges facing the Institute. It’s what I call “the relevance thing.” To illustrate what I mean, here are some contrasts between the AIA of today and the AIA that I think we should be moving towards.

Where is the AIA best focused for the coming year?

The AIA is focused on a number of important initiatives that will continue to be important through 2005 and beyond, including:

• Improving Contract Documents content and delivery
• Advocating livable communities
• Improving relationships between the national and local components
• Becoming a more effective knowledge provider to our members.

2. Are you committed to increasing membership diversity? What has been done in your region or locally to address the issue of diversity?

I am committed to increasing membership diversity. In the South Atlantic Region, our 2004 AIA South Carolina President is female and our 2005 AIA Georgia President is African-American. Our region’s state components are among the sponsors of this year’s Diversity Resolution. But, although these are important steps, I can’t say that you would see a much different group of people at one of our region’s meetings than you would at any other AIA meeting. We are still mostly middle-aged white guys.

What do you feel the AIA can do at different component levels to increase and enhance diversity?

The AIA hasn’t been particularly effective trying to frame this issue as “the right thing to do.” Perhaps we need to redefine this issue as a “need to have,” rather than a “nice to have.” The AIA desperately needs more innovative thinking if we are to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world, so maybe we should start calling it “The Innovation Issue.” Richard Florida, in his brilliant book The Rise of the Creative Class, traces how innovation is fostered when you have high levels of diversity, and Steve Jobs of Apple Computers has spoken passionately about the need for creative organizations to nurture outsiders, because they see things from a different perspective than the majority. I think that if we better understood that increasing membership diversity is a survival imperative for the AIA, it might help us make some real progress on this front.

3. Where in the AIA do you feel that alternative or nontraditional career professionals (both licensed and unlicensed) best fit in and can best be served and represented?

I hope it’s clear by now that I think the best place in the AIA for alternative and nontraditional career professionals (both licensed and unlicensed) is right in the middle, engaged and contributing to everything we do. [ top ]

SECRETARY CANDIDATE RESPONSES

Orlando T. Maione, AIA
1. What challenges do you see ahead for the Institute and the future of the profession? Where are we best focused for the coming year?

Livable Communities: Decision makers do not currently connect architects with the issue of Livable Community. The AIA must take the lead for the profession in making the connection for those community leaders to turn to architects for help in designing and creating more livable communities. Architects should be viewed as resources for planning and developing more livable communities, leaders and facilitators for visioning and designing livable communities, and partners for implementing livable community strategies.

Sustainability: We have the opportunity to take the lead on sustainability in society, to provide a sound environmental public policy for green buildings. The AIA needs a clear, concise definition of sustainability and our stand on the issue to provide talking points to our many diverse audiences. We should emphasize its importance and reflect it in our continuing education programs and design awards.

Diversity: Expanding an image and developing programs and strategies that will foster greater diversity require a cultural change in the Institute. To accomplish this, the change must be reflected in all our programs, initiatives, and activities based on our underlying principles of diversity and inclusiveness. This must not only apply to our membership but must also recognize the relevance of our profession is measured on the diversity of our services and the diversity of our clientele.

Advocacy: Civic engagement and public advocacy are our most critical obligations to the membership and should be an integral part of our profession. Architects must engage our clients, elected officials, the media, and the public to advance the value of architecture in the built environment. Advocacy for important goals like livable communities cannot be episodic. It has to be consistent and focused. We must remain the primary advocate for our profession in the public area. Our voice must continue to be heard in Congress and in our state legislatures.

2. Are you committed to increasing membership diversity?
Absolutely. Throughout my career I have always been an avid supporter of membership diversity. Whether it was at my local chapter level, the state level, or as a committee chair, I have actively recruited minorities, interns, and associates to serve on committees, boards, and/or run for elected positions so that the AIA can be more diversified and representative of the membership. The AIA needs to follow the same process. It’s not enough to just identify diversity; we must include diversity into our AIA and professional culture. We must make a personal commitment to recruit minorities, not only to join the AIA but also to take an active role in its governance, to serve as mentors and role models. All of our programs, initiatives, and activities must be based on our underlying principles of diversity and inclusiveness. Not only for our members, but also to recognize the diversity of our services and the diversity of our clientele.

3. Where in the AIA do you feel alternative or nontraditional career professionals (both license and unlicensed) best fit in and can best be served and represented?
As a licensed and practicing “alternative and nontraditional career professional” who has been in that position for more than half my career, I believe that we belong right in the middle of the AIA as members, elected board members, and elected officers. It’s not a separate or different career; it’s just a separate and sometimes more challenging path less taken. The AIA can serve and represent us best by acknowledging this fact, acknowledging the numbers of us in the profession, and providing the requested services that may be needed. Most of us use the same services in our practices and need the same continuing education units to maintain our licenses, but there are other aspects of our careers that are not being served. Those needs are increasingly being provided by other organizations, and the AIA must provide programs that address the architect/owner as well as the architect as consultant. [ top ]

Robert E. Middlebrooks, AIA
1. What challenges do you see ahead for the Institute and the future of the profession? Where are we best focused for the coming year (for example, membership, governance, policy, etc.)?
As clichéd as it might sound, I have always thought that lack of membership, which reduces our representation in our profession, has limited the influence we have. I have always supported the fact that no matter where an architect practices—in government, in education, or in nontraditional roles—that the AIA should find ways to relate to them, provide services, and establish a dues structure appropriate for them. It does not really cost that much to support additional members. Many believe that in the long run it could reduce our dues. Imagine the influence of a profession that represents 90 percent or more of its profession.

2. Are you committed to increasing membership diversity? Do you have examples of things that have been done in your region or locally to address the issue of diversity? What do you feel the AIA can do at different component levels to increase and enhance diversity?
Diversity is not achieved by AIA members talking among themselves, nor by holding career days in high schools. Real diversity has to start at the middle school level or earlier by presenting the right role models and getting young adults excited about the possibilities while they are young enough to achieve change and develop the attitudes towards success required to sustain them through the difficult path in pursuit of an architectural profession. Our profession loses its diversity at that critical point, when young kids need one-on-one, focused attention and nurturing. Introduction of architecture curriculum into the elementary and middle-school education, coupled with focused professional assistance, could drastically alter our long-term diversity.

3. Where in the AIA do you feel alternative or nontraditional career professionals (both licensed and unlicensed) best fit in and can best be served and represented?
My college professors always said that they never thought we should worry about whether the marketplace could absorb all the graduates in traditional practice environments. They always stated that the more people who had an architecture background, the better our profession would be. It was due to two theories. The first was that the aesthetically trained individual demands high-quality environments and makes the best client. The second is that the thought process instilled in professionals trained in architecture is unlike traditional linear thinking and much better suited to all types of problem solving, regardless of the situation or work environment. But to best answer the question, I wish alternative and nontraditional professionals were more involved in the procurement of architecture services and in roles such as developers and planners. Money is important, but professionals trained in architecture have a better balance of the understanding of architecture issues and thus value the process and products. [ top ]

John C. Senhauser, FAIA
1. What challenges do you see ahead for the Institute and the future of the profession? Where are we best focused for the coming year (for example, membership, governance, policy, etc.)?

The greatest challenge we face as a profession and a society is accessibility; not in the ADA sense, but in the greater sense of the just and equitable access to economic opportunity, quality education, adequate housing, transportation, and medical care, to begin the list. The point is simply that the divide is increasing and, therefore, the necessity for a renewed sense of common purpose that orients our work has never been greater. Everything we do as architects, whether public or private, defines the character of our communities. Our efforts in the immediate future should focus on strengthening our current relationships while forging new alliances with industry and societal partners, crafting our message to both the public and the political leadership, and judiciously leveraging our resources to better equip our membership with the skills, knowledge, and sensitivity to tackle these problems while developing new models of collaboration.

2. Are you committed to increasing membership diversity? Do you have examples of things that have been done in your region or locally to address the issue of diversity? What do you feel the AIA can do at different component levels to increase and enhance diversity?

Our profession and our culture can only benefit from the broader perspective indicative of an inclusive membership. Every effort must be made to attract and retain all eligible graduates. Endeavors by the academic community to recruit a diverse constituency should be encouraged and supported. Additionally, we must continue to align our outreach to elementary and secondary schools, particularly in urban areas, to bring an awareness not only of architecture, but also an introduction to the possibilities of an architectural career to both students and guidance counselors. AIA Cincinnati’s “Architecture By Children” program (ABC) travels to 36 schools, involving more than 350 students each year in a design competition and exhibition. Through exposure to local practitioners, the students gain an understanding of the role of an architect and the influences architecture has on our communities.

3. Where in the AIA do you feel alternative or nontraditional career professionals (both licensed and unlicensed) best fit in and can best be served and represented?

At the national level, the Knowledge Communities are an excellent avenue for the involvement of alternative and nontraditional career professionals. It is more likely that, at this national level, the possibilities for peer group exchange, education, and networking will be more prevalent. As the growth of increasingly specialized knowledge and expertise continues, the membership will benefit from the interchange of these varying perspectives. To ensure that we foster this continued interchange, we must continually examine our programs and services to meet this need better. Although some of their needs may vary from those of the traditional practitioner, I’ve not met anyone who does not consider himself or herself an architect first. [ top ]

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