December, 2018
Partner Spotlight: Recap from ACSA Administrators Conference
NAAB Associate Director Ellen S. Cathey, AIA, recently attended ACSA’s 2018 Administrators Conference and provided the following account of a conference session titled “Around the World: International Accreditation.”

The ACSA Administrators Conference, held in Quebec City at the end of October under the theme of “ Engaging the World ,” afforded an opportunity for the NAAB to highlight its involvement in the international arena through its Substantial Equivalency program, participation in the Canberra Accord on Architectural Education, and the Education Evaluation Services for Architects (EESA). As ACSA continues to “build knowledge to build communities,” the NAAB too seeks to build community via international engagement. David Hinson, FAIA, chair of the NAAB’s International Committee, provided an overview of assessment activities by a number of organizations worldwide as well as the ways in which schools of architecture outside the U.S. may formally become associated with the organization, either by pursuing full accreditation (for those schools that already possess U.S. regional accreditation) or by pursuing Substantial Equivalency. Currently, 11 schools outside the U.S. have been designated as “substantially equivalent” to NAAB-accredited programs. SE programs benefit from their recognition by the NAAB, and graduates of SE programs who seek to become licensed in the United States receive an expedited review of their education credentials and a deep discount on the cost of the review. We applaud ACSA’s commitment to expand its international reach and deepen alliances across the globe.
NAAB Offices Relocated
The NAAB is pleased to announce its return to 1735 New York Avenue! We are delighted to once again share space with ACSA, AIA, and AIAS. Proximity to several of our primary partners and the financial benefit of smaller, less expensive space were the primary reasons for making this decision. We thank the AIA for providing an office in the building and for the warm welcome already extended to our staff team. Our new mailing address is:

NAAB
1735 New York Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20006
ARForum19 Update
Preparations for ARForum19 are progressing at a rapid pace. This month’s update focuses on the work of the forum’s task force.

The task force comprises representatives of the NAAB; it meets regularly via video conference and in person at most board meetings. At the October board meeting, chair Barbara Sestak, FAIA, who is the liaison to the ARForum19 Steering Committee, updated the task force on the steering committee’s initial reactions to the work of the task force thus far. For the last seven months the task force has been exploring big ideas through five work groups:

  • NAAB Conditions in task force charge
  • SPC Evidence
  • Digital Formatting
  • Nature of the Visit
  • Cycle of Accreditation

Each group had prepared recommendations for the steering committee to consider, as the work of both groups is intertwined. One such recommendation, which the steering committee supported in concept, was to change the evidence requirements for Student Performance Criteria. SPC at an understanding level would no longer require student evidence. Instead, programs would present “course design” material, the definition of which the task force is still developing. SPC at an ability level would still require student evidence.
The task force will now turn its attention to revising the Procedures, a draft of which will be delivered to the NAAB directors at the April 2019 meeting. 

More updates will be included in future newsletter articles. 
2018 Annual Report
The NAAB would like to thank all of its programs for working to complete another year of annual and interim reports! The 2018 Annual Report on Architecture Education will be published in spring 2019.