Less is Less

This has been a very disappointing year with the AIA. The architects on the AIA/SC Board were able to send out a mass mailing weakening the enforcement of the building code, went to a national convention to debate whether non-architects could be regional directors of the American Institute of Architects, refused to publish news about the LLR failure to include construction observation as a basic architectural service, and generally went belly up understanding the role of our professional organization. It has become more of a boy scout camp where they earn leadership merit badges but the real professionals are not playing. What a waste of time.

The LLR made more great strides by finally approving electronic seals on drawings, something most firms have been doing for twenty-five years. They also changed license renewal to every two years and decided that we are allowed to carry over our learning for two years, although they still don't know what learning they are allowing to be carried over.

I renewed my license in Alabama and noticed that they now have a form that you must fill out in case you are not performing CA services. The Board gets the form and sends a letter to the owner stating why CA by architects is important. There is no point to it and they admit that there is no penalty for not sending in the form and that they will never find out what is going on anyway. The Executive Director said that she didn't think their program was working. Brilliant.

Alabama also said that continuing education could "not include day-to-day activities," a strangely nationwide decision to make learning unobtainable at work. I have found no architects or board members that think you can learn at work. I must be going mad. I keep learning things every day in spite of myself. But I always remember not to remember it after the board sanctioned time limit. What was I saying? I forgot.

I can only hope that doctors are not as stupid as architects seem to be. When I check in a hospital, I don't want to find a doctor who forgot what he learned two years ago. God help us all.