Washington, DC—During the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards’ (NCARB) Annual Meeting and Conference in Pittsburgh, PA, delegates representing 51 of the Council’s 54 Member Boards that oversee the practice of architecture voted on the following resolutions:

Resolution 2008-01: “Handbook for Interns and Architects Amendment – Clarifying Training Setting for Earning Training Credit Under Non-U.S. and Non-Canadian Architect”

Passed: 50-0

RESOLVED, that Section 3 (C), Chapter 1 of the Handbook for Interns and Architects be amended to read as follows:

“C.  Training in a firm engaged in the practice of architecture outside the U.S. or Canada if you are under the direct supervision of a person credentialed to practice practicing architecture who is not neither registered in a U.S. jurisdiction nor in a Canadian jurisdiction”

Resolution 2008-02: “Model Law Amendment – Acceptance of the NCARB Certificate”

Passed as Amended: 40-10

RESOLVED, that the second paragraph of Section 3 of the Model Law be amended to read as follows: 

“Any person who holds the certification issued by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, who holds a current and valid registration issued by a registration authority recognized by the Board, who files his/her application with the Board on a form prescribed by the Board containing information pertinent to such person as is satisfactory to the Board, and who pays such fee as is prescribed by the Board shall may be issued a registration. have satisfied the basic education, experience, and national examination requirements of the Board for registration.”

Resolution 2008-03: “Bylaw Amendment – Clarifying the Roles of the Committee on the Intern Development Program and the Committee on Education”

Passed: 51-0

RESOLVED, that the second sentence of Section 5 (D) of Article XII of the Bylaws be deleted: 

“If the Committee believes that any of the Council’s training standards for certification should be modified, it shall forward its recommendations to the Committee on Procedures and Documents.”

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the second sentence of Section 5 (H) of Article XII of the Bylaws be deleted: 

“If the Committee believes that any of the Council’s education standards for certification should be modified, it shall forward its recommendations to the Committee on Procedures and Documents.”

Resolution 2008-04: “Handbook for Interns and Architects Amendment – Clarifying the Appeals Process Related to the Five-Year Rolling Clock and Adding Birth or Adoption of a Child as a Cause for Extending the Five-Year Period”

Passed as Amended: 49-1

RESOLVED, that the last sentence of the third paragraph of Chapter 5, “Description,” of the Handbook for Interns and Architects be deleted and that a new paragraph immediately above the existing final paragraph thereof be added as follows: 

“NCARB may allow a reasonable extension of such period in circumstances where completion of all divisions within such five-year period is prevented by the birth or adoption of a child, by a serious medical condition, by active duty in military service, or by other like causes. An applicant may request such an extension by submitting a timely written application and supporting documentation as prescribed by NCARB. Upon proper application NCARB will allow parents of newborn infants or newly adopted children a six three-month extension to the end of such five-year period if the birth or adoption of their child occurs within such five-year period.” 

Resolution 2008-05: “Model Regulations and Rules of Conduct Amendment – Clarifying Knowledge and Skill”

Passed: 51-0

RESOLVED, that Section 100.801 (A) of the Model Regulations be amended as follows (and that conforming changes be made to the Rule 1.1 of the Rules of Conduct): 

“In engaging in the practice of architecture, an architect’s primary duty is to protect the public’s health, safety, and welfare. In discharging this duty, an architect shall act with reasonable care and competence, and shall apply the technical knowledge and skill which are ordinarily applied by architects of good standing practicing in the same locality.”

Resolution 2008-06: “Handbook for Interns and Architects Amendment – Revising Exam Equivalents for the ARE”

Passed: 51-0

RESOLVED, that the following new paragraph be added at the end of Chapter 5 of the Handbook for Interns and Architects:

“Candidates who have passed some divisions, but have not passed all divisions of the Architect Registration Examination in accordance with applicable policies before July 1, 2009, shall thereafter be required to pass all remaining divisions of the ARE in accordance with the ‘ARE 4.0 Exam Equivalents’.”

Resolution 2008-07: “Handbook for Interns and Architects Amendment – Reporting Requirement for IDP Training Units”

Passed as Amended: 49-1

RESOLVED, that online reporting for IDP Training Units will be fully tested and operational and Supervisor guidelines will be produced and distributed or made available online by December 31, 2008. Therefore, the dates set forth in the following “FURTHER RESOLVED” paragraph shall apply. If such online reporting is not fully tested and operational or such guidelines are not so produced and distributed by such date, then such dates set forth in the following “FURTHER RESOLVED” paragraph shall be delayed, respectively, by the period of time commencing with December 31, 2008, and ending on the date such online reporting is fully tested and operational and such guidelines are so produced and distributed.

FURTHER RESOLVED, that Section 3, Chapter 1 of the Handbook for Interns and Architects be amended by adding the following new heading and text immediately after the heading entitled “Verification” as follows: 

“Reporting      Interns establishing a new NCARB Record on or after July 1, 2009, shall report their Training Units to NCARB (a) on forms prescribed by NCARB with the appropriate verifications and (b) for reporting periods of no longer than six months duration in each report and without duplication of any Training Units previously reported. 

Beginning on and after July 1, 2010, all interns shall report their Training Units to NCARB (a) on forms prescribed by NCARB with the appropriate verifications and (b) for reporting periods of no longer than six months duration in each report and without duplication of any Training Units previously reported. 

Each such report form must be entered online no later than two months after the end of the period being reported. Only Training Units submitted within such two-month filing period will be accepted. 

Once a report is filed for the reporting period in question, the time taken to correct errors or provide supplementary information requested by NCARB will not affect the validity of such report or the Training Units eventually accepted. The word “interns” as used in the foregoing paragraphs shall not include architects registered in any U.S. jurisdiction or credentialed in any foreign jurisdiction.

NCARB may allow a reasonable extension of such two-month filing period in circumstances where reporting of Training Units is prevented by the birth or adoption of a child, by a serious medical condition, by active duty in military service, or by other like causes. An intern may request such an extension by submitting a timely written application and supporting documentation as prescribed by NCARB. Upon proper application NCARB will allow parents of newborn infants or newly adopted children a three six-month extension to the end of such filing period if the birth or adoption of their child occurs within the filing period.”

Resolution 2008-08: “Handbook for Interns and Architects Amendment – Employment Duration Requirement for IDP Training Units”

Passed as Amended: 47-3

RESOLVED, that Section 3 (P), Chapter 1 of the Handbook for Interns and Architects be amended to read as follows:

            “P.  To earn Training Units in any work setting other than F (a post-professional degree or teaching or research) or FF, you must work at least 35 32 hours per week (full-time) for a minimum period of eight consecutive weeks or work at least 20 15 hours per week (part-time) for a minimum period of eight six or more consecutive weeks months.  You may earn up to 235 Training Units in part-time employment of at least 15 and less than 32 hours per week.  To earn Training Units for teaching or research, you must be employed on a full-time basis.” 

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the foregoing change will apply to IDP Training Units earned on or after July 1, 2008. 

Resolution 2008-09: “Handbook for Interns and Architects Amendment – Allowing Certain Minimum Training Units for Completion of Qualified Emerging Professional’s Companion Exercises”

Passed: 51-0

RESOLVED, that Section 3, Chapter 1 of the Handbook for Interns and Architects be amended as follows:  

            FIRST, by adding a new subparagraph FFF under the heading “Where” as follows: 

“FFF.  Completing exercises approved by NCARB for credit for purposes in this section FFF under the direct supervision of a registered architect in the then current Emerging Professional’s Companion jointly sponsored by NCARB and the American Institute of Architects.”

            SECOND, by amending subparagraph G under the heading “How Many” to read as follows:

            “G.  To satisfy Design & Construction Documents, Training Units (including Units earned from supplementary education) must be earned in work settings described in A, B, or C, or FFF.”

            THIRD, by adding a new subparagraph NNN under the heading “How Much” as follows: 

“NNN.  No more than 75 Training Units may be earned in the setting described in FFF, with no more than 5 Training Units earned in each chapter of the Emerging Professional’s Companion corresponding to training areas 1 through 15 described below.”

            FOURTH, under the heading “IDP Training Requirement” near the end thereof by inserting an asterisk at the end of the existing text as follows: 

“All Categories Minimum Total Training Units Required………………465*”

            FIFTH, by placing at the bottom of the appropriate page the following asterisk and text: 

“*Of such 465, one Training Unit may be earned upon completion of each qualified exercise in the Emerging Professional’s Companion up to a maximum of five Training Units per each chapter corresponding to Training Areas 1 through 15.  Training Units earned above this maximum of five may be earned as supplementary education Training Units subject to the limitations in N.”

FURTHER RESOLVED, that this amendment will apply to those qualified exercises in the then current Emerging Professional’s Companion (a) approved by NCARB for credit purposes under section FFF and (b) completed by interns on or after July 1, 2009.

Resolution 2008-10: “Model Regulations Amendment – Including Sustainable Design Among Health, Safety, and Welfare Subjects for Purposes of Continuing Professional Development”

Passed: 51-0

RESOLVED, that the definition of “Health, Safety, and Welfare Subjects” in Section 100.006 of the Model Regulations be amended to read as follows:

“Health, Safety, and Welfare Subjects.  Technical and professional subjects, which the Board deems appropriate to safeguard the public’s health, safety, and welfare.  Such subjects include building design; sustainable design; environmental or land use analysis; life safety; architectural programming; site and soils analysis; accessibility; structural systems considerations; lateral forces; building codes; evaluation and selection of building systems, products or materials; construction methods; contract documentation; construction administration; and the like.”

Resolution 2008-11: “Model Regulations and Rules of Conduct Amendment – Taking into Account Generally Established Sustainable Design Principles Within the Rules of Professional Conduct”

Postponed

Resolution 2008-12: “National Academy of Environmental Design”

Passed: 48-0

RESOLVED, that the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards indicate its support for the creation of a National Academy of Environmental Design for the reasons set forth in the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture proposal to create a National Academy of Environmental Design published as Appendix D “ACSA National Academy Proposal” in the 2008 Pre-Annual Meeting and Conference Report.