Inclusivity is the theme of the brightest highlights from our most recent Board of Directors Meeting.
We have changed our Awards to afford a greater opportunity to celebrate the contributions of more of our members. The newly-created Virginia Associate Award celebrates the contributions of Associate AIA members regardless of whether they are pursuing licensure or not. Revisions to the language and eligibility criteria of the Virginia Emerging Professional Award expand the opportunity to recognize and celebrate the contributions of both Associate members and AIA Virginia members who are in good standing and have been licensed to practice architecture for fewer than ten years; more closely aligning this AIA Virginia award with AIA National’s Emerging Architect Award.
The Board of Directors also conditionally accepted the Inclusivity Into the Profession Task Force Report (the IIPTF Report). “Conditionally” only because we need to fully explore the specifics, and timetables, of each of the substantial recommendations proposed in the report. Importantly, the Board of Directors has, by this action, committed the organization to the ambitions and aspirations of the report. It now remains for us to address each and all of the individual recommendations and to develop a course of action, with consideration to both our own resources and how we might collaborate with strategic partners/allies to accomplish these transformational goals.