January 5-6, 2001
Scottsdale, Arizona

In May 1996, the architecture profession heralded the publication of Building Community: A new future for architecture education and practice,by Ernest Boyer and Lee D. Mitgang of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. A sweeping independent study of architectural academy and practice, the "Boyer Report" led to the creation of several committees and task forces that each reviewed the report's recommendations. One such task force, the Collateral Boyer Task Force (CBTF), was comprised of representatives from each of the five collateral architectural organizations: The American Institute of Architects, the American Institute of Architecture Students, the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, the National Architectural Accrediting Board, and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. Focusing on the transition between the academy and practice, the CBTF determined that a summit on architectural internship should be convened. That event took place in Kentucky in April 1999, at the conclusion of which several objectives were defined. The collateral organizations appointed representatives to a new task force, the Collateral Internship Task Force, to review the objectives and develop implementation strategies. This report is the culmination of the task force's work, and is presented to the five collaterals for adoption and action.

The CITF reviewed the objectives defined at the Internship Summit and created a model framework for improving the professional development transition between education and practice.

The profession should aspire to the highest levels of intellectual, creative, technical, ethical, social, cultural, and leadership skills and values. To this end, there must be recognition, by both educators and practitioners, of their shared roles in providing appropriate experiences for students and young professionals. Similarly, the five architectural collateral organizations must continue to work together, coordinating efforts and resources, to implement the recommendations of this report, to effect positive change.

The task force determined there are several ideals that are pervasive to each organization to ensure that the enhancement of the profession is achieved. The recommendations are presented as goals, objectives, and (possible) implementation strategies. The strategies are not exclusive; they are meant to provide guidance points for accomplishing each objective. Organizations that are best positioned to implement specific strategies have been identified.

The profession should aggressively pursue methods of increasing motivation to enter the architecture profession and expand accessibility to opportunities in architectural education.

1. Educational materials should be developed and distributed to introduce elements of architecture and design to elementary and middle school students. (AIA/AAF, AIAS)

2. An outreach guide should be developed that will promote and explain the architecture profession to secondary school and community college students and guidance counselors. (ACSA, AIA, NCARB)

3. Public information programs on architecture as a profession should be promoted. (AIA, NCARB)

4. Existing scholarship and financial resource programs should be supported and new programs should be created. (AIA/AAF, ACSA)

5. A clearinghouse to identify available scholarships and financial resource programs should be created. (AIA/AAF, ACSA, AIAS)

Educators and practitioners should collaborate to ensure that students are exposed to professional culture and gain practical experience during their formal education to meaningfully contribute to the professional environment.

1. Aspects of professional culture should be integrated into education as early as possible in the curriculum. (ACSA, AIA, NAAB) " These include leadership, ethics, values, communication skills, and team building.

2. The educational process should encourage multiple types of professional experience within as well as beyond the classroom. (ACSA, AIA, NAAB) " These might include virtual practice settings, continuing and cooperative education programs, design studios, in-office internships, hands-on experiences, and community design centers.

3. Schools should assure that students acquire an understanding of career options and the registration process at an early stage in the formal education/internship process. (ACSA, AIA, AIAS, NAAB, NCARB)

4. Schools should create significant opportunities for students to interact with professionals. (ACSA, AIA)

5. Educators and practitioners should be engaged collaboratively to understand current and emerging practice issues. (ACSA, AIA)

6. The relationship between the NAAB Student Performance Criteria and the IDP Core Competencies should be explored. (NAAB, NCARB)

Practitioners and educators should collaborate to ensure the existence of opportunities and support for professional growth.

1. Practitioners, educators, and emerging professionals should recognize and embrace their respective roles and responsibilities in the professional development process. (ACSA, AIAS, AIA)

2. Practitioners and educators should invest significant time and financial resources in the development of emerging professionals. (ACSA, AIA)

3. The relationship between the NAAB Student Performance Criteria and the IDP Core Competencies should be explored. (NAAB, NCARB)

A professional education is required to provide emerging architects with intellectual competencies such as critical thinking skills, an awareness of social and cultural diversity and the architectural implications thereof, and an ability to use historical and contextural precedent in the design process.

1. Regulatory boards should be encouraged to require a professional degree from an accredited program or its equivalent. (NAAB, NCARB)

2. Methods should be enhanced to judge equivalency to accommodate international candidates and exceptional cases. (NAAB, NCARB)

The profession should define and accept appropriate pathways for obtaining professional experience.

1. A competency-based professional experience program for emerging professionals should be developed. (AIA, NCARB)

2. It should be recognized that some competency-based professional experience can be obtained prior to beginning the formal professional education process. (AIA, AIAS, NCARB)

3. The variety of professional experience settings should be expanded. (AIA, NCARB)

4. Collaborative educational and professional innovations, such as practicum studios and practice academies, should be encouraged. (ACSA, AIA, AIAS, NAAB, NCARB)

5. Participation in continuing education programs should be recognized for professional experience credit. (AIA, NCARB)

Recipients of professional degrees from accredited programs (or their equivalents) should have the responsibility and discretion to decide when to take any or all parts of the Architect Registration Examination.

1. Regulatory boards should be encouraged to permit recipients of professional degrees from accredited programs (or their equivalents) to take the examination upon graduation. (NCARB)

2. The emerging professional must understand that experience, in addition to education and examination, is required to obtain registration. (AIAS, ACSA, NAAB, NCARB)

The demands of the architectural profession require a lifelong pursuit of knowledge, and acceptance of the obligation to be leaders and teachers.

1. Continuing education should be required to maintain registration. (AIA, ACSA, NCARB)

2. Mentoring guidelines for all peer groups should be developed. (AIAS, AIA, ACSA, NCARB)

For example, between students and graduates, between graduates and emerging professionals, and between emerging professionals and practitioners

3. Mentoring networks should be established. (AIAS, AIA, NCARB)

4. Incentives for individual and firm participation in defined mentorship programs should be provided. (AIA, NAAB)

With the emergence of global communication, technology, and practice, the profession should promote, through collaborative efforts, the standards for education, experience, and examination.

1. The collateral organizations should promote uniform standards for education, experience, and examination to improve the national system of reciprocal registration. (ACSA, AIA, AIAS, NAAB, NCARB)

2. The profession should recognize the principles established in the international agreement developed within the UIA's Beijing Accord. (ACSA, AIA, AIAS, NAAB, NCARB)

3. The profession should support the continuing efforts of the collateral organizations to establish bi-lateral and multi-lateral agreements. (ACSA, AIA, AIAS, NAAB, NCARB)

Appropriate titling, responsibility, and compensation should reflect an individual's stage of achievement.

1. Compensation should correspond to an individual's level of responsibility, experience, and education.

2. With the achievement of goals one through eight, titling should reflect an individual's stage of professional development.

"Architecture student" is used to describe those individuals who are dedicating a significant portion of their lives to the formal study of architecture.

"Architect" is used to describe professional degree graduates of an accredited program as they pursue one of the diverse career paths for which their architectural education has prepared them, based on the full and successful implementation of the concepts espoused in this report.

This recommendation presumes that through the collaborative process outlined herein, there is an elevation of the quality of the education, experience, and examination process. The recommendation further presumes a fundamental paradigm shift from the current exclusionary and qualifying environment, to one of inclusion of emerging professionals. By including these graduates, they will have the potential to become more engaged in the profession as a whole, and contribute to the profession and society because of their elevation and status that recognizes their skills and knowledge.

Through the celebration and inclusion of these architects within the larger context of society, these individuals have the potential to expand the influence of the highest values and aspirations of the architectural profession and the quality of the built environment in service to society.

"Registered architect" is used to describe those individuals legally responsible for the protection of the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

The task force's recommendations for action are as follows:

1. The Five Presidents should endorse the final report.

2. There should be general acceptance by each collateral organization's Board of Directors and membership.

Each collateral organization should conduct a presentation at its annual meeting for the purposes of disseminating this information.

3. The collateral leadership shall appoint a management group to assure that all aspects of this report continue to be addressed and implemented. In addition to members from the five collateral organizations, representatives from the Committee of Canadian Architectural Councils and emerging professionals should be included.

Each of the five architectural collateral organizations has been committed to the work of the Collateral Internship Task Force. Official members of the CITF representing the collaterals, interns, and Canada, are:

William Herrin, FAIA, Chair
James H. Anstis, FAIA (NAAB)
R. Wayne Drummond, FAIA (ACSA)
Amy J. Isenburg, Associate AIA (AIAS)
Grace Kim, AIA (Newly-licensed)
Edward Mojica, Associate AIA (Associates)
Robert A. Odermatt, FAIA (AIA)
Susan Ruptash (Canada)
Peter Steffian, FAIA (NCARB)
Jennifer Stewart (Canada)

Staff members serving as ex officio members of the CITF are:

Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA (AIA)
Pamela L. Kortan (AIAS)
Elliot Pavlos, Associate AIA (NAAB)
Robert Rosenfeld, Associate AIA (NCARB)
Stephanie Vierra, Associate AIA (ACSA)