New Orleans—During the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) Annual Business Meeting in New Orleans, delegates representing 53 of the Council’s 54 Member Boards that oversee the practice of architecture voted on the following resolutions:
[Resolution 2015-01] [Resolution 2015-02] [Resolution 2015-03]
Resolution 2015-01: Certification Guidelines Amendment – Revision of the Alternatives to the Education and Experience Requirements for Certification
Failed as amended: 27-26 (needed a majority of Member Boards to pass, which is 28 votes)
RESOLVED, that the Alternatives for Certification of an Architect Registered in a U.S. Jurisdiction as included in Section 2 of the Certification Guidelines be revised as indicated below:
“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 practicing architecture as defined in the Legislative Guidelines and Model Law, Model Regulations gained while holding a registration issued by any U.S. jurisdiction to demonstrate that a combination of education and/or experience in practicing architecture satisfies all of his/her education deficiencies with respect to the NCARB Education Standard set forth in theEducation 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, orEight years for architects who hold any other baccalaureate or higher degree, orTen years for architects who do not hold a postsecondary baccalaureate or higher degree.
Five (5) years of continuous licensure in any U.S. jurisdiction with no disciplinary action from any jurisdiction;
and
Documentation of work experience gained pre-licensure and/or post-licensure.
The experience must be verified in accordance with the requirements of the NCARB Intern Development Program or by an NCARB certified architect:
- Applicants with a pre-professional degree in architecture awarded by a U.S. regionally accredited institution or the Canadian equivalent must document two times (2x) the experience requirement of the NCARB Intern Development Program.
- Applicants with any other four (4) year baccalaureate degree awarded by a U.S. regionally accredited institution or the Canadian equivalent must document three times (3x) the experience requirement of the NCARB Intern Development Program.
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) must obtain an Education Evaluation Services for Architects (EESA) NCARB evaluation report stating that he/she has met the NCARB Education Standard.
The NCARB Intern Development Program is described in the IDP Guidelines. TheNCARB Education Standard and the NCARB Broadly Experienced Architect Program are is described in the Education Guidelines,. These documents which may be revised from time to time by NCARB.
2.3 Alternatives to the Experience Requirement
This alternative shall be available only to those applicants who meet the alternative to the education requirement in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.2 B.
In lieu of completing the Experience Requirement identified in Section 1.3, NCARB will accept registration by an NCARB Member Board for at least five consecutive years together with a certification by the applicant that his or her experience as a registered architect met the intent of the IDP in each of the experience areas, and verification by one or more other architects that the applicant obtained such experience. This alternative shall not apply to applicants initially registered after January 1, 2011.”
FURTHER RESOLVED, except as explicitly modified by these Resolutions, all of the provisions of Alternatives for Certification of an Architect Registered in a U.S. Jurisdiction remain unchanged and in full force and effect; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that these changes shall be submitted to the Council Member Boards for review and approval; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that upon the approval of the changes by an absolute majority of the Council Member Boards, such changes will become effective July 1, 2016 and will apply both to applications for certification in process and new applications; if applicants whose applications were in process met all certification requirements that existed prior to the changes referenced herein, they will be eligible for certification.
Resolution 2015-02: Certification Guidelines Amendment – Revision of the Requirements for Certification of Foreign Architects
Passed: 49-4
RESOLVED, that the Requirements for Certification of an Architect Credentialed by a Foreign Registration Authority, included in Section 4 of the Certification Guidelines be revised as indicated below:
“4.2 Education RequirementYou must hold a professional degree in architecture from an accredited/validated/officially recognized architecture program. You are required to describe such program or submit information describing the program from the accreditation/ validation/recognition authority. You must hold a recognized education credential in an architecture program that leads to a license/credential for the unlimited practice of architecture in the foreign country. You are required to have an official transcript of your educational record sent directly to NCARB from the school. Where there is doubt about the nature of the professional degree, an Educational Evaluation Services for Architects (EESA) evaluation may be required.
4.3 Registration Requirement
You must be credentialed in a foreign country that has a formal record-keeping mechanism for disciplinary actions in the practice of architecture. You are required to describe the process by which you were credentialed or submit information describing the credentialing process from the credentialing authority that granted the credential, and to arrange for independent verification by the credentialing authority directly to NCARB showing that your credential has been granted and is currently in good standing. You are also required to describe the process by which and the reasons for which disciplinary actions may be taken against architects and the system in which these actions are recorded, or to submit information provided by the disciplinary authority in this regard. You shall secure a written statement from your credentialing authority stating that you either have no record of a disciplinary action or if such record exists, describing such action and its current status. This statement must be sent directly to NCARB from the credentialing authority.
4.4 Experience RequirementYou 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 the Architect Registration Examination.“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.
You must document completion of the NCARB Intern Development Program (IDP).
4.5 Examination Requirement
You must pass the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®).”
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the introduction paragraph entitled “Requirements for Certification of an Architect Credentialed by a Foreign Registration Authority” be deleted from Section 4 of the Certification Guidelines:
“BROADLY EXPERIENCED FOREIGN ARCHITECT (BEFA) PROGRAM”
Foreign architects may apply for NCARB certification through the Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect (BEFA) Program set forth in this section. All information provided in the eligibility and application forms must be in English. English translations must be provided for all transcripts, credentials, and dossier documents. The interview will be conducted in English, without the assistance of a translator.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that “Appendix A: The Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect Process” be deleted in its entirety from the Certification Guidelines, including its reference in the Table of Contents.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that Section 1, “Requirements for Certification of an Architect registered in a U.S. Jurisdiction,” Subsection 1.3 “Experience Requirement” paragraph four be revised as follows:
“The Reporting Requirements identified in the IDP Guidelines do not apply to architects registered in the United States or Canada or to foreign architects credentialed by a foreign registration authority pursuing NCARB certification through the Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect (BEFA) Program.”
FURTHER RESOLVED, except as explicitly modified by these Resolutions, all of the provisions of “Requirements for Certification of an Architect Credentialed by a Foreign Registration Authority,” and the corresponding sections referenced herein, remain unchanged and in full force and effect; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that these changes shall be submitted to the Council Member Boards for review and approval; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that upon the approval of the changes by an absolute majority of the Council Member Boards, such changes will become effective July 1, 2016 and will apply both to applications for certification in process and new applications; if applicants whose applications were in process met all certification requirements that existed prior to the changes referenced herein, they will be eligible for certification.
Resolution 2015-03: Bylaws Amendment – Modifications to the Qualifications of Public Director on Council Board of Directors
Passed as amended: 44-9
RESOLVED, that Article VII, Section 2 of the Bylaws is amended to read as follows, with the amendments to clause (ii) not taking affect until July 1, 2016:
“A candidate for election as the Public Director (i) shall be a citizen of the United States, (ii) shall be serving as a public or consumer member on a Member Board not be a person engaged in or licensed to engage in the design of any portion of buildings or structures or a member of a Member Board or Member Board Executive, and (iii)any person qualified as prescribed above may be nominated as Public Director by declaring his or her candidacy at the time election for such office begins at the Annual Meeting shall be nominated by the Council Board of Directors and 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.”
FURTHER RESOLVED, except as explicitly modified by these Resolutions, all of the provisions of the Bylaws remain unchanged and in full force and effect; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that these resolutions shall be submitted to the Council Member Boards for review and approval; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that upon the approval of the resolutions by an affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of the Council Member Boards, such changes to theBylaws will become effective July 1, 2016.
