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At its 99th annual business meeting in July 2018, the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) updated its Model Rules of Conduct to better accentuate its ongoing commitment to professional conduct.
The change comes after a three-year review that began in 2015 when then-NCARB president Dennis S. Ward established an Ethics Task Force to take a fresh look at the organization’s Model Rules of Conduct. The task force—which included architects, attorneys, educators, and other volunteers—was asked to explore how ethics might play a more prominent role in the path to licensure and beyond.
“[When it comes to] liturgical requirements, the acoustics in the sanctuary, and the necessary audio/visual aspects of the space ... it is critical to the success of the worship space that these areas are designed by someone who has the necessary experience and expertise.” Terry L. Allers, Iowa architect and designer of worship spaces, NCARB 2019 president
“In a prescient move, the task force intentionally referenced harassment, as well as the relationship between licensure candidates and their supervisors, as issues of focus for disciplinary consideration—years before the ‘Me Too’ movement catapulted these subjects into the national spotlight,” says Terry L. Allers, an Iowa architect who has designed a number of worship facilities and will become the organization’s new president in July 2019.
The NCARB membership unanimously voted to update the Rules of Conduct, and Allers says the organization looks forward to working with licensing boards as they explore how to best adapt the model in their own jurisdictions.
“We are hopeful that over time, a changed culture will create increased interest in pursuing architectural licensure from under-represented groups, and that the role of the architect will have increased appreciation from a more diverse public,” Allers says.
For example, currently, enrollment numbers for African-Americans entering architectural school are low, which they have been for decades.
“We also know that people from under-represented groups are more likely to drop out of architecture school, drop out of the post-graduation licensure path, and leave the profession post-licensure,” he says. “A more inclusive culture should cause these metrics to change.”
The worship connection
As with any building design project, an architect working in a worship space needs to know their limits. Allers notes that in the design of worship facilities, there are areas of expertise that need to be addressed by skilled individuals who are experienced in the specific needs of churches.
“For example, liturgical requirements, the acoustics in the sanctuary, and the necessary audio/visual aspects of the space,” he says. “It is critical to the success of the worship space that these areas are designed by someone who has the necessary experience and expertise.”
Adapting to the rules
Since the Rules of Conduct document serves as a national, aspirational model, it’s up to each architectural licensing board to incorporate these updates into their rules and regulations, but the hope is that things will be done sooner rather than later.
“The Model Rules of Conduct has the potential to lift architecture to the same high standards held by other professions,” says Michael J. Armstrong, NCARB’s CEO. “These guidelines serve as both an important regulatory tool for licensing boards and a statement to all NCARB Record holders. However, the role of taking disciplinary action still begins at the jurisdictional level, as any disciplinary action taken by NCARB is based on action reported by licensing boards.”
The Rules also serve as a statement to all NCARB Record holders, with deference to actual language that may be employed at the licensing board level. In taking this approach, NCARB will continue to base any discipline of its Record holders on actions taken at the licensing board level. Further, the Model Rules of Conduct language acknowledges the essential nature of due process before any disciplinary finding with the necessity of some findings being connected to a decision by a court of law.
“This topic is at once obvious and complex. Reputations and livelihoods may hang in the balance on all sides, as does the need to promote a zero-tolerance culture regarding cases of harassment, intimidation, bigotry, and actions amounting to criminal activity,” Allers says. “We anticipate that some boards will adapt the Rules over the next year, while others may take longer. Typically, it takes three to four years for the majority of licensing boards to adopt a new NCARB program or model.”
Other updates approved at the Annual Business Meeting include eliminating the need for an Education Evaluation Services for Architects (EESA) for architects completing the Certificate Portfolio path (a savings of over $2,200), as well as several housekeeping edits to the NCARB Bylaws.
Learn more at www.ncarb.org.