After experiencing “growing pains” in using the new electronic voting equipment and a need to reassign voting proxies within chapters to account for absent members, delegates to the AIA national convention on June 12 were able to reach beyond the two-thirds majority of accredited-delegate votes necessary to pass the four following bylaws amendments:

Bylaws Amendment 04–A: Apportionment of Regional Directors. This change eliminates a previous limit on the size of the AIA Board of Directors, thereby resolving the cross-purposes of two older bylaws, one of which assigned directors by a count of AIA members within a region, and another that capped the number of directors at 34.

Bylaws Amendment 04–B: Number of Vice Presidents; Term of Office of Vice Presidents. This bylaws change calls for the addition of a fourth vice president, and staggered two-year terms for all vice presidents, to cover the increased responsibilities and workloads of the position.

Bylaws Amendment 04–C: Removal of Limits on Consecutive Terms Served by Regional Directors. This change removes current national restrictions on the number of consecutive terms that a regional director may serve on the Board, thereby allowing each region to make that decision for itself.

Bylaws Amendment 04–D: Voting Rights for CACE Representative on Executive Committee: This bylaws change allows the CACE representative to the AIA Executive Committee a full vote.

Convention Resolutions

Delegates also achieved the majority vote of those present necessary to pass the following resolutions.

Resolution 04-1: Dues Increase in Support of the Institute’s Annual Advertising Campaigns. Delegates approved a temporary increase of $50 in the dues paid by each Architect member annually for the next three years with the resulting revenues to be expended in support of the Institute’s annual advertising campaigns. (A $10 yearly increase for Associate members was struck from the resolution.)

Resolution 04-2: To Strengthen the Demographic Diversity of the Design Profession. Delegates intend for this resolution to support research efforts focusing on diversity in the profession, particularly as they relate to access to the profession and career advancement for minorities, women, and other groups who bring diverse backgrounds to the profession. Specifically, the resolution specifies that:

• The AIA will collaborate with related architectural organizations and support research initiatives and ongoing data collection
• The AIA will provide multiyear funding for an ongoing audit on existing data within the profession, the analysis of those data, and the development and implementation of recommendations for a comprehensive data collection and analysis system to track the profession over time
• An action plan to implement the research included in this resolution will be drafted by October 1.

Resolution 04-3: Evolving the Intern Development Program. Delegates voted to develop the Intern Development Program (IDP) into a “comprehensive professional development program for the betterment of the profession and the public.” Specifically, this resolution calls for the AIA to:

• Develop a strategic plan in collaboration with NCARB that would result in a more meaningful role for all stakeholders in IDP governance
• Work collaboratively with NCARB to determine what changes to IDP content, policies, and procedures are necessary to keep pace with the changing needs of candidates, architectural practice, and individual state licensing authorities
• Develop a set of public policies regarding internship, IDP, and registration
• Call for the institution of a triennial conference to review the conditions and procedures of IDP and the post-graduation development of young professionals.

Resolution 04-4: Recognition of Newly-Licensed Architect Members, declaring officially that the AIA congratulates those members who received their architecture licenses in 2003 for their accomplishments and welcomes them into a new generation of architects.

Resolution 04-5: Appreciation to Retiring Members of the Council of Architectural Component Executives. Delegates voted to honor retiring CACE executives:

• Evelyn T. Creager, executive director, AIA Spokane, and Honorary Affiliate, AIA Washington Council, with 41 years of service
• Dianne Hart, Hon. AIA, executive director, AIA Cleveland, and honorary member, AIA Cleveland, with 16 years of service
• Mary D. Mauerman, CAE, executive director, AIA Washington Council and AIA Northwest & Pacific Region, with 17 years of service
• Martha C. Murphree, Hon. AIA, executive director, AIA Houston, with 23 years of service
• Sally Phillips, executive director, AIA East Bay Chapter and Hon. AIA, California Council, with 15 years of service
• Richard C. “Dick” Thevenot, Hon. AIA, retired executive director, AIA Louisiana, with 37 years of service.
• Gini Rountree, Hon. AIA, Retired Executive Director, AIA Central Valley, who served for 28 years.

Appreciation: As is traditional, the delegates also voted to extend sincere appreciation to retiring executive committee and board members, the host chapter, convention committees, exhibitors, and AIA President Eugene C. Hopkins, FAIA, and his wife, Jane Hopkins.

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