Message from the AIA Oregon Architect License Advisor

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Chris Lewis, Assoc. AIA
AIA Oregon Architect License Advisor

My name is Chris Lewis and I’m the AIA Oregon State License Advisor, as well as a Senior Associate at Ankrom Moisan Architects. I love architecture, and I love helping people find their path in the profession. Sometimes this path includes licensure, and sometimes it doesn’t, but the great thing about what we do is that there’s room for everyone.

You may be wondering what an “architect license advisor” does. I had the same question when I was offered the position. We are a group of local professionals, educators and students who volunteer our time to help others pursue licensure and reciprocity. Every National Architectural Accredited Board (NAAB) - accredited program has an educational advisor, and most AIA state chapters have an advisor. The Architect License Advisor role is defined by National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), however AIA makes the appointment in each state.  I was recently reappointed for another term by AIA Oregon.

To provide additional support to emerging professionals in our field, student advisors from AIAS chapters across the country have been added, as well as firm appointed advisors to act as resources for individual firms. The reason we need all of these resources is to support the 55 unique jurisdictions that issue a License to practice Architecture in the United States. Each of these jurisdictions has its own way of setting the standard for who can practice as and call themselves an Architect with defined requirements for Education, Experience and Examination. NCARB has worked with these jurisdictions to create a baseline qualification through model codes, which many states have adopted. However, distinction remain between jurisdictions, and in an effort to provide good advice to candidates, the license advisor position was created. NCARB and the AIA wanted to offer someone local to help candidates navigate the process. We aren’t the final answer to your questions, but we are good resources to point you in the right direction.

What advice can I give candidates on their path to their initial license that is timely? Right now, take care of yourself and your job - in that order. At the moment, things are rough, and it’s okay to admit that. I’m sitting here writing this to you at midnight, after putting in a full day of work trying to hit 3 deadlines on Friday, and I know not all of you have that privilege. I also spent another 8 hours helping my 6-year-old son with his distance learning and making sure my family is healthy. So, if you were on the path to licensure and the pandemic has slowed you down, it is completely understandable. Even if you have studied, the Prometric testing centers have been closed for over a month, and they aren’t planning on reopening until at LEAST May 31st. If you had an exam scheduled you will have to reschedule once Prometric opens again, and even then you might get bumped because they will only be running at 50 percent capacity.  If you have the capacity to take on studying, I’d say do it and be ready when the world opens back up. But if you don’t have the bandwidth, that’s okay, testing right now is going to be more difficult than it normally is. Give yourself some grace.

NCARB tips for AXP Candidates:

1)     Your AXP hours won’t expire. Once you’ve submitted your qualifying hours to your supervisor the reporting timeline is no longer a concern.

2)     Only submit reports when there is experience to report. You are not required to report if there are no experience hours to report. You can also look into the Setting O experiences for opportunities to get AXP hours.

3)     Work performed remotely that your AXP supervisor has direct knowledge of and control over counts for experience hours.

4)     Report in shorter time frames to avoid complications that could arise from a change of employment or illness for you or your supervisor.

5)      You may qualify for a reporting requirement extension if you are experiencing extenuating life circumstances. You will need to contact NCARB and provide documentation of the hardship.

NCARB tips for Testing Candidates:

1)     NCARB has added a 9 month extension to all valid passing scores as of March 1, 2020. This is an automatic extension that should be reflected in your NCARB record.

2)     All rescheduling fees have been waived until further notice.

3)     They are encouraging candidates to schedule or reschedule tests for the fall or winter to avoid conflicts or having to reschedule because of closure extensions into June and beyond.

ARE Study materials:

1)     The AIA Archiprep study program is being offered FREE through August

2)     Look for other ARE Prep material providers offering discounts or free access such as Amberbooks

I’m glad I got the chance to introduce myself to the larger architectural community, and to the broader sections of AIA Oregon. Please do not hesitate to reach out with your questions. I may not have the answer, but I’ll be able to help you navigate the path to getting to an answer. Stay safe out there, and do what you can to help each other out.