The AIAS is governed by the Bylaws and a ten-member Board of Directors that meets at least four times each school year. The Board and the activities of the organization are guided by the input provided by the Council of Presidents (COP) that meets twice each year. The COP is comprised of one delegate from each chapter in good standing. To be a chapter in good standing, the chapter must be current in payment of chapter dues, have more than ten individual members and be in compliance with the AIAS Bylaws.
Values
Impact
We advocate for and enact positive change.
Community
We foster an inclusive network of peers that learn from, support, and drive one another.
Growth
We inspire students to reach their greatest potential through meaningful learning opportunities.
Passion
We pursue large goals and aspirations through each member’s enthusiasm.
Perspective
We link the professional’s opportunities to architectural education.
Balance
We promote respectful relationships, an environment of diversity, and a thriving studio culture.
Strategic Goals
In 2018, the AIAS Board of Directors completed the strategic goals for the next few years of the organization. With these goals, the AIAS aims to provide value to you, our member, through programs and services that benefit:
YOUR PRESENT
- Build content, culture, and community that reflects the values of the AIAS
YOUR NEAR FUTURE
- Support your network of current and past members to advance member enrichment
YOUR FUTURE
- Highlight how the study of architecture can raise the value of design beyond the architectural community
- Educate and empower advocates of design to address and create innovative solutions for emerging global issues
Standing Committees
The AIAS has a number of committees, advisory, and working groups that function as advisory or working groups of the Board and report regularly to the Board on the work performed.
Governance Committee
The Governance Committee is responsible for periodically evaluating governance issues of the organization and make recommendations as appropriate to the Board.
Charges:
- Perform a thorough review of all governing documents, including but not limited to the National Bylaws, the Rules of the Board, and Public Policies, to ensure an accurate representation of the current state of the organization.
- Make the Bylaws and their importance transparent and easily understood by all members.
- Contribute to the 2020 Model Learning & Teaching Culture.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee shall be responsible to act in conjunction with the executive director in the preparation of the annual budget for review and approval by the full Board. The Finance Committee shall be entitled to request and receive periodic reports from the outside auditor. It may also periodically evaluate the organization’s financial status and make suggestions and recommendations to the national office and the Board.
Charges:
- Work with the Executive Director to review the bi-annual audit of the organization.
- Educate chapters and members about best financial practices in an organization and in life
- Quantify cost implications for proposed resolutions.
Personnel Committee
The Personnel Committee shall be responsible for evaluating the performance of the executive director and officers as per the outline of responsibilities defined in the executive director’s and officers’ employment contract, in the Bylaws and the Rules of the Board, and in any other performance guidelines and goals defined by the committee and previously agreed to by the executive director and officers.
Charges:
- Serve as mentorship component for Executive Director.
- Facilitate the success of future Boards of Directors.
Membership Committee
The Membership Committee shall find means for advancement in the quality of membership by periodically evaluating the specific needs of the membership.
Charges:
- Explore and assess the value of AIAS membership.
- Follow up on a charge made by the Council of Presidents at the 2018 Grassroots CoP Meeting in Washington, D.C., expand upon the alumni mentorship program proposed by last year’s committee.
Freedom By Design Advisory Committee
The Freedom by Design Advisory Committee serves as the primary training, outreach, support, curatorial, and innovation arm of the Freedom by Design program. The committee holds five primary charges outlined in the Rules of the Board.
Charges:
- Direct and/or perform training for Freedom by Design Directors at Grassroots and FORUM.
- Communicate with chapters and track all projects throughout the year.
- Support chapters throughout the year regarding waivers, liability, design mentors, construction mentors, school relations, fundraising, and Freedom by Design best practices.
- Collect and curate content documenting completed projects in conjunction with the AIAS National Office.
- Suggest and propose program changes, evolutions, or new initiatives to the AIAS Board of Directors, including but not limited to national FBD K-12 and other public outreach and educational opportunities and funding opportunities for FBD chapters
- Maintain the official Freedom by Design national Instagram account.
Special Committees
The AIAS has a number of committees, advisory, and working groups that function as advisory or working groups of the Board and report regularly to the Board on the work performed.
COUNCIL OF GLOBAL REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE
The Council of Global Representatives is responsible for developing resources that express student values, priorities, and school culture in different regions of the international membership. The Council is also a discussion group that represents the opinions and voice of international members studying in the US or abroad.
Charges:
- Advocate for and support rights and needs of international students.
- Explore and propose international relationships and partnerships.
- Initiate objectives of the 2030 International Action Plan.
- Contribute to the 2020 Model Learning and Teaching Culture document.
ETHICS COMMITTEE
The Ethics Committee shall further refine the Code of Ethics and will investigate necessary logistics for implementation.
Charges:
- The Committee shall reconsider and update the AIAS Code of Ethics to be of best use to the organization.
EQUITY AND DIVERSITY TASK FORCE
The Equity and Diversity Task Force assists the AIAS with bringing to light and striving to eliminate issues of equity and diversity as they relate to architectural education. The committee communicates with the membership ways to increase and promote equitable and diverse AIAS Chapters, studio/work environments, buildings, individuals, teams, communities, and/or cities. Equitable and diverse lifestyles and practices are the responsibility of all AIAS members and the organization.
Charges:
- Define, advocate for and support rights and needs of underserved and minority groups of students.
- Hold the AIAS accountable for and assess its efforts and initiatives towards an equitable and diverse culture.
- Celebrate minority architects, architecture, firms, and faculty.
- Help maintain the official Advocacy Instagram account.
- Contribute to the 2020 Model Learning and Teaching Culture document.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS TASK FORCE
The Health and Wellness Task Force assists the AIAS with combating issues of health and wellness as they relate to architectural education. The committee communicates with the membership ways to increase and promote healthy AIAS Chapters, studio/work environments, buildings, individuals, teams, and communities. Healthy and well lifestyles and practices are the responsibility of all AIAS members and the organization.
Charges:
- Define, advocate for, and support healthy practices of studying architecture for chapters and members.
- Hold the AIAS accountable for and assess its efforts and initiatives towards a healthy and well culture.
- Contribute to the 2020 Model Learning and Teaching Culture document.
- Help maintain the official Advocacy Instagram account.
SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY TASK FORCE
The Sustainability and Resiliency Task Force assists the AIAS with promoting sustainability and resiliency as they relate to architectural education and practice. The committee communicates with the membership ways to increase and promote sustainable and resilient AIAS chapters, studio/work environments, buildings, individuals, teams, communities, and/or cities. Sustainable and Resilient lifestyles and practices are the responsibility of all AIAS members and the organization.
Charges:
- Define, advocate for, and support sustainable and resilient practices for chapters.
- Hold the AIAS accountable for and assess its efforts and initiatives towards Sustainability and Resiliency.
- Contribute to the 2020 Model Learning and Teaching Culture document.
- Help maintain the official Advocacy Instagram account.
LEARNING AND TECHNOLOGY TASK FORCE
The Learning and Technology Task Force assists the AIAS with upholding design excellence by exploring the advancement of learning, design, and technology among AIAS members and potential relevant resources.
Charges:
- Explore ways to showcase architecture students as leaders and educators in design.
- Serve as a resource for hard and technical skills regarding practice and lifelong learning.
- Contribute to the 2020 Model Learning and Teaching Culture document.
FORUM SITE SELECTION TASK FORCE
The FORUM Site Selection Task Force is tasked with working in conjunction with the staff to investigate and make the beginning arrangements for FORUM sites in the future.
Charges:
- Research and select a FORUM conference site.
Call for Resolutions to the Council of Presidents - Grassroots 2019
May 1st
- Deadline to propose a resolution
May 6th
- Resolutions published on aias.org
- Open call for amendments to resolutions
June 1st
- Deadline to propose an amendment to a resolution
June 3rd
- Amendments published on aias.org
July 21st – Council of Presidents Meeting
- Voting on resolutions and amendments
- Town Hall
To submit a resolution or amendment, please draft up a proposal as a “motion” using Robert’s Rules of Order, provide background or rationale up to one paragraph in length, and email it to president@aias.org in advance of the deadlines above. Questions or concerns about a proposal can also be submitted to the same address.
Proposed Resolutions to the Grassroots Council of Presidents
RESOLUTION #1
Proposed By: Carnegie Mellon University
I move to establish an additional eligibility criterion for candidates running for officer positions on the AIAS National Board of Directors, namely National President and National Vice President, wherein to qualify as a candidate, a member must have previously served as one of the following:
- Chapter President
- Chapter Vice President
- A member of a previous AIAS National Board of Directors
EXPLANATION: As stated in the AIAS Bylaws, the specific duties of the President and Vice President require the distinct AIAS leadership experience which is gained only from the roles of Chapter President, Chapter Vice President and past AIAS BoD member. This past experience includes large-scale organizational skills — such as delegation, and personnel and event management — as well as a deep understanding of the mission and values of the AIAS. If passed by the Council of Presidents, this resolution would ensure that our future leaders are best-prepared to be the faces of our organization, and accurately represent the interests of its membership.
RESOLUTION #2
Proposed By: Carnegie Mellon University
I move to amend the current AIAS Bylaws to include formal Freedom By Design Bylaws which are based on the Freedom By Design Manual, in particular the ‘Project Essentials’ section.
EXPLANATION: This resolution is being proposed in response to the rapidly growing number of Freedom by Design components across the organization. We believe that a common set of governing bylaws is necessary to ensure consistency across these components and establish a national standard for individual AIAS chapters to build upon.
RESOLUTION #3
Proposed By: Carnegie Mellon University
I move to charge the 2019-2020 AIAS Governance Committee with developing and publishing a set of model constitution/bylaw documents for a range of AIAS chapters to use as a base upon which to develop their individual chapter constitution/bylaws. This set must offer multiple models to accommodate varying chapter needs, including, but not limited to, chapter size, age, membership, location, culture and focus.
EXPLANATION: In recent conversations with chapter leadership across the organization, the varying models of chapter elections and governance have been heavily discussed, indicating an interest in strengthening individual chapter governance models. Providing a set of model documents for reference would enable this interest and empower individual chapters to develop their own constitution/bylaw literature, ultimately promoting functional, transparent and resilient chapter governance.
RESOLUTION #4
Proposed By: New York Institute of Technology – Old Westbury
I move to charge the 2019-2020 AIAS Governance Committee with researching the creation of a new level of membership in the form of a College of Fellows; specifically researching the criteria for nomination, and the formal process of certification and elevation to College of Fellows Membership
EXPLANATION: The College of Fellows would be created to acknowledge the contributions of members and supporters who have made a significant impact on the Architectural and Design Academic Community. These impacts can be Leadership, Mentoring, Impact on the path to licensure and Impact on the educational experience. These however are not the only contributions to be considered and the Governance Committee would be best equipped to research the AIA College of Fellows processes and requirements and use them as a precedent for our own AIAS College of Fellows.
A rough framework for a potential bylaw amendment can be found here. Much work still needs to be done on the formal process and the “Objects of nomination” to determine the areas of contribution that the nominee is credited with. This new level of membership is proposed primarily to take account of and give recognition to those who have helped us all along our path. Let us not forget there are many Faculty Advisors who were not only members as students but have now been involved for decades. There are also the examples of Nick Serfass who sat on the Executive Board for longer than any other member for the past decade, and Charlie Klecha who has returned FORUM after FORUM and even now continues to work tirelessly to advance the mission of the AIAS as Interim ED.
With this in mind, and considering the motivations of those involved, the attached bylaw amendment includes a 6 year commitment to the organization. This criteria will be to ensure that the College of Fellows member has been involved beyond the standard 5 year degree path, donating dues, time, and energies to the organization past what may be considered necessary for personal advancement. This continued commitment to the mission of the AIAS is why the establishment of a College of Fellows should be considered by this, the 2019 Grassroots Council of Presidents, as we have many examples of excellence to recognize.
“Elevation to Fellowship not only recognizes the achievements of the architect as an individual but also elevates before the public and the profession those architects who have made significant contributions to architecture education and to society.”
– AIA College of Fellows Website
Amendments to the Proposed Resolutions to the Grassroots Council of Presidents
The AIAS has officially closed the open call for amendments to the proposed resolutions to the AIAS Council of Presidents. One amendment has been proposed for Resolution #1; both the original resolution and the amendment can be found below.
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RESOLUTION #1
Proposed By: Carnegie Mellon University
I move to establish an additional eligibility criterion for candidates running for officer positions on the AIAS National Board of Directors, namely National President and National Vice President, wherein to qualify as a candidate, a member must have previously served as one of the following:
- Chapter President
- Chapter Vice President
- A member of a previous AIAS National Board of Directors
EXPLANATION: As stated in the AIAS Bylaws, the specific duties of the President and Vice President require the distinct AIAS leadership experience which is gained only from the roles of Chapter President, Chapter Vice President and past AIAS BoD member. This past experience includes large-scale organizational skills — such as delegation, and personnel and event management — as well as a deep understanding of the mission and values of the AIAS. If passed by the Council of Presidents, this resolution would ensure that our future leaders are best-prepared to be the faces of our organization, and accurately represent the interests of its membership.
AMENDMENT TO RESOLUTION #1
Proposed By: Northeastern University
I move that the motion be amended by striking out the following words, “namely National President and National Vice President”, and by replacing “as one of the following: Chapter President, Chapter Vice President, A member of a previous AIAS National Board of Directors”, with the following words, “on a Chapter Board or Freedom By Design Team.”
The resolution with the proposed amendment would read as follows:
I move to establish an additional eligibility criterion for candidates running for Officer positions on the AIAS National Board of Directors, wherein to qualify as a candidate, a member must have previously served on a Chapter Board or Freedom By Design Team.
EXPLANATION: While it makes sense that our Officers should be previous AIAS Board members with the experience of a Chapter President or Vice President, recent years have shown us that there are many avenues of AIAS leadership. One example is 2017-18 National President, Keshika De Saram, who was a great national President, but his highest title at his Chapter was FBD Director. The proposed resolution actively limits the amount of opportunities for AIAS members and does not include Freedom By Design as a viable method of climbing the AIAS National ranks. Every chapter has nuances, so to say that just the Chapter President and Vice President would be qualified to run is not accurate to how broad the Chapter spectrum is. The proposed resolution seems to be adding regulation in a place it isn’t needed, as those who don’t have the knowledge and skill set to run for Officer positions are dissuaded by the robust election process that we already have.
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Discussion and voting on all proposed resolution and the proposed amendment above will occur at the 2019 Grassroots Council of Presidents on July 21st in Washington, D.C. All other proposed resolutions can be found here. Additional amendments to any resolution may be proposed from the floor at the Grassroots meeting as time allows.
For any items of importance beyond a resolution, a Town Hall will also be held to field questions and engage in more casual discussion. This format to the Council of President’s process allows for earlier consideration of changes, encourages full chapter discussion in advance of Grassroots, and enhances the on-site experience and execution of the Council of President’s meeting.
