San Diego, CA—During the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA, delegates representing 50 of the Council’s 54 Member Boards that oversee the practice of architecture voted on the following resolutions:
Resolutions 2013-01: Model Law and Regulations Amendment – Use of Electronic Seals and Signatures
Passed as amended: 50-0
RESOLVED, that the first three sentences of Section 6, Seal in the Model Law be amended to read as follows:
“Every registered architect shall have a seal of a design authorized by the Board by regulation. All technical submissions, which are (a) required by public authorities for building permits or regulatory approvals, or (b) are intended for construction purposes, including all addenda and other changes to such submissions, shall be sealed and signed by the architect with the impression of his/her seal and the signature of the architect. The signature and seal may be electronic. By signing and sealing a technical submission the architect represents shall mean that the architect was in responsible control over the content of such technical submissions during their preparation and has applied the required professional standard of care.”
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the first sentence sub-section (B) of section 100.805 (Professional Conduct) of the Model Regulations be amended to read as follows:
“(B) All technical submissions, which are (a) required by public authorities for building permits or regulatory approvals, or (b) are intended for construction purposes, including all addenda and other changes to such submissions, shall be signed and sealed by with the impression of the seal and signature of the registered architect, which signature and seal may be electronic.”
FINALLY RESOLVED, that sub-section (B) of section100.806 (Design and Use of Architect’s Seal) of the Model Regulations be amended to read as follows:
“(B) As required by [statutory reference], the seal and signature shall be imprinted appear on all technical submissions, as follows: on each design and each drawing; on the cover and index pages identifying each set of specifications; and on the cover page (and index, if applicable) of all other technical submissions. The original signature of the individual named on the seal shall appear across the face of each original seal imprint. Such seal and signature may be electronic.”
Resolution 2013-02: Certification Guidelines Amendment – Alternative to Education Requirement
Passed: 48-2
RESOLVED, that sub-section B of section 2.2 of the Certification Guidelines be amended to read as follows:
“B. Applicants with a degree in the field of architecture that is not accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) or the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) granted by an academic institution outside the United States and Canada must obtain an Education Evaluation Services for Architects (EESA) NCARB evaluation report stating that he/she has met the NCARB Education Standard.”
Resolution 2013-03: Certification Guidelines Amendment – Modifications to Broadly Experienced Architect Terminology
Passed: 49-1
RESOLVED, that Section 2.2, paragraph A, Alternatives to the Education Requirement of the Certification Guidelines be amended to read as follows:
“2.2 Alternatives to the Education Requirement
If you do not hold a professional degree in architecture as identified in Section 1.2, NCARB will accept either of the following:
A. Satisfaction of NCARB’s Broadly Experienced Architect (BEA) Program, which permits an applicant with the required years of experience in comprehensive practice practicing architecture as defined in the Legislative Guidelines and Model Law, Model Regulations in which the applicant exercised responsible control within a U.S. jurisdiction while registered in such jurisdiction to demonstrate that a combination of education and/or comprehensive practice experience in practicing architecture satisfies all of his/her education deficiencies with respect to the NCARB Education Standard set forth in the Education Guidelines. The required years are:
- Six years for architects who hold a pre-professional degree in architecture awarded by a U.S.-regionally accredited institution or the Canadian equivalent, or
- Eight years for architects who hold any other baccalaureate or higher degree, or
- Ten years for architects who do not hold a post-secondary baccalaureate or higher degree.”
Resolution 2013-04: Certification Guidelines Amendment – Modification to Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect Terminology
Passed: 50-0
RESOLVED, that section 5.4 Experience Requirement of the Certification Guidelines be amended to read as follows:
“5.4 Experience Requirement
You must have completed a minimum of seven (7) years of comprehensive practice as a credentialed architect over which you exercised responsible control in the foreign country in which you are credentialed.
- “Comprehensive practice” means the application of the knowledge and skills of those aspects of the profession assessed by
an architectural practice that regularly involves familiarity with all of those areas tested onthe Architect Registration Examination, including programming, design, technical and construction documents production, and construction administration. - “Responsible control” means that amount of control over and detailed professional knowledge of the content of technical submissions during their preparation as is ordinarily exercised by U.S. registered architects applying the required professional standard of care.”
Resolution 2013-05: Bylaws Amendment – Eligibility for the Public Director Position
Passed: 49-1
RESOLVED, that the third paragraph of Article VII, section 2 of the Bylaws be amended to read as follows:
“A candidate for election as the Public Director (i) shall be (i) a citizen of the United States, (ii) shall not be a person engaged in or licensed to engage in the design of any portion of buildings or structures or a person participating in the regulation of design of any portion of buildings or structures member of a Member Board or Member Board Executive, and (iii) shall be nominated by the Council Board of Directors and elected at the Annual Meeting, and (iv) such person so nominated shall be elected at the Annual Meeting. A Public Director shall serve the same term and with the same limit on succeeding terms as apply to Regional Directors in this Article VII, Section 3, and any vacancy in the office of Public Director shall be filled by the Council Board of Directors.”
Resolution 2013-06: Inter-Recognition Agreement with Canada – Update and Conforming Changes to Certification Guidelines
Passed: 47-3
RESOLVED, that the existing Inter-Recognition Agreement be dissolved and the new Mutual Recognition Agreement between the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards and the Canadian Architectural Licensing Authorities be and hereby is ratified and approved in the form published in the Pre-Annual Meeting Report.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that Sections 3 and 4 of the Certification Guidelines by deleted in their entirety.
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About NCARB
The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards’ membership is made up of the architectural registration boards of all 50 states as well as those of the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. NCARB assists its member registration boards in carrying out their duties and provides a certification program for individual architects.
NCARB protects the public health, safety, and welfare by leading the regulation of the practice of architecture through the development and application of standards for licensure and credentialing of architects. In order to achieve these goals, the Council develops and recommends standards to be required of an applicant for architectural registration; develops and recommends standards regulating the practice of architecture; provides to Member Boards a process for certifying the qualifications of an architect for registration; and represents the interests of Member Boards before public and private agencies. NCARB has established reciprocal registration for architects in the United States and Canada.
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