Each year, NCARB works hard to continue evolving the way the architecture profession is regulated. With only around 100 full time-staff members, much of this work would not be possible without the help of dedicated volunteers who spend hundreds of hours serving on committees.

More than 20 committees, subcommittees, task forces, and work groups meet throughout the year to review topics related to education, experience, examination, certification, and more. Made up of a diverse range of volunteers from across the profession—including members of licensing boards, practicing architects, licensure candidates, and collateral representatives—these groups help steer the organization by reflecting on our policies and making recommendations.

Here’s a snapshot of what NCARB’s core committees worked on in FY18:

Education Committee

The Education Committee oversees the development, delivery, and assessment of NCARB’s education policies for use by the 55 U.S. licensing boards and maintains NCARB’s relationship with the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). This year, the Education Committee identified critical topics for education, experience, and post-licensure practice and where they fit best throughout the architect’s education continuum.

Examination Committee

The Examination Committee oversees the development, delivery, and assessment of the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®) for use by the U.S. licensing boards. The Examination Committee spent FY18 monitoring the launch of ARE 5.0 and the continued delivery of ARE 4.0. Other initiatives included researching emerging technologies that could impact the future of the exam and engaging the Think Tank on candidate’s testing motivations.

Experience Committee

The Experience Committee oversees the development, delivery, and assessment of the Architectural Experience Program® (AXP™) for use by Member Boards, and evaluates experience-related policies in order to advise the program. This year, the committee’s highlights included engaging with the Education and Examination committees, and working with the Think Tank and Ethics Task Force to discuss issues pertaining to supervisor responsibilities.

Member Board Executives Committee

The Member Board Executives (MBE) Committee considers issues of concern to the Member Boards and MBEs. This year, the committee developed the program for the 2018 MBE Workshop, providing a venue for MBEs from across the country to share best practices, stay current on trends affecting the regulatory environment, and nominate a representative to serve on the Board of Directors.

Policy Advisory Committee

The Policy Advisory Committee (previously called the Procedures and Documents Committee) reviews proposed resolutions, procedures, and documents for their impact on, and consistency with, NCARB policies and programs, then makes recommendations on such matters to the Board of Directors. Additionally, the committee assesses the usefulness of special NCARB publications and modifies them as appropriate. The committee had a busy FY18 with numerous charges tied to document and resolution reviews, including updating the NCARB Bylaws and Rules of Conduct.

Professional Conduct Committee

The Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) oversees the development, application, assessment, and adjudication of NCARB policies and practices relating to the professional conduct of Record holders and others using NCARB services. In FY18, the PCC reviewed 39 cases, discussed whether NCARB Certificate holders should agree to compliance with the Rules  of Conduct, and reviewed the PCC Rules of Conduct as edited by the Ethics Task Force.

Regional Leadership Committee

The Regional Leadership Committee addresses issues specific to the NCARB regions and assists with planning for NCARB membership meetings. The primary objective of the Regional Leadership Committee in FY18 was to plan a successful Regional Summit, which brought together each jurisdiction to deliberate over the proposed resolutions and address specific issues of interest for the Member Boards.

To learn more about our committees, visit this year’s Annual Report.