March 2020
International Committee Welcomes NAAB International Certification Stakeholders
On February 25, the NAAB’s International Committee hosted its first-ever meeting with NAAB International Certification (ICert) stakeholders, including programs with the ICert designation, those seeking it, and those interested in learning about it. Marilys Nepomechie, FAIA, president-elect of the NAAB and chair of the International Committee, opened the videoconference with a discussion about the transition from Substantial Equivalency to NAAB International Certification and the major changes in the new editions of the Conditions and Procedures for NAAB International Certification .

Committee members Fodil Fadli, PhD, David Hinson, FAIA, and Raúl Rivera-Ortiz, AIA, NCARB, along with NAAB staff, fielded a range of questions about preparing for upcoming visits, navigating the EESA process, and becoming familiar with the new documents. The gathering also revealed the broad diversity of ICert programs and participants worldwide, all connected through the NAAB. Given the enthusiastic feedback received since the meeting, we anticipate holding similar meetings in the near future. Contact Janet Rumbarger, Hon. AIA, ( jrumbarger@naab.org ) for more information about NAAB International Certification.
January Board Meeting Update
The Board of Directors held its winter meeting in Nashville on January 31–February 1, 2020. At the meeting, among other things, the board

  • Approved the release of the 2020 Conditions and Procedures for Accreditation.
  • Granted an eight-year term of continuing accreditation to Marywood University (B. Arch.)
  • Granted a three-year term of initial accreditation to:
  • Bowling Green State University (M. Arch.)
  • Dunwoody College of Technology (B. Arch.)
  • Granted continuation of candidacy to:
  • New York Institute of Technology (M. Arch.)
  • Approved a substantive change request by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte for the addition of a new M. Arch. track.
  • Granted a six-year term of NAAB International Certification to:
  • Effat University (BSc. Arch.)
  • Accepted the NAAB International Certification visit one memorandum for:
  • Hashemite University (B. Arch.)
  • Jordan University of Science and Technology (BSc. Arch.)
Partner Spotlight: AIA Grants Honorary Membership to Six Individuals
On February 14, 2020, the AIA announced it had granted honorary membership to six individuals, including the NAAB's director of international services, Janet Rumbarger, Hon. AIA! Read an excerpt from Rumbarger's page on AIA's 2020 honorary membership page:

As an editor and writer, Janet Rumbarger, Hon. AIA, has long embraced the work of architects, marrying her abilities to support the profession...

...Rumbarger joined AIA in 1988 as the managing editor and production editor for AIA Press, where her expertise informed many of the books and journals referenced by architects nearly every day, including numerous editions of Architectural Graphic Standards and The Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice. For each edition of the 1,000-page handbook, she negotiated the contracts for more than 150 contributors ... and copy edited the entire volume...

...Operating in an industry that is largely driven by images, Rumbarger’s expertise has supported architects for more than 30 years. Her work, often done quietly, has made a lasting impact on the profession, both nationally and internationally.

Honorary AIA Membership is conferred upon individuals who have made notable contributions to the advancement of the architecture profession but are not otherwise eligible for AIA membership.