Message from the Chancellor

By Frances Halsband, FAIA

Communications/Outreach

Chair: Secretary Kate Schwennsen, FAIA

Is the Quarterly doing everything it can to reach our membership? How can we use our new website resources?

Mentorship/Facilitating Fellowship/EDI

Chair: Chancellor Frances Halsband, FAIA

There are many mentorship programs at components, at YAF, architecture firms, schools. Can we look at what is being done across the country and learn what is successful? How can we help members who do not have access to big city Fellowship Committees? Can we do more to welcome NOMA members to the COF?

Inauguration is a special occasion. Standing before a group of former and future leaders of the College of Fellows and the Institute is both humbling and energizing.

The next morning, our new ExComm hit the ground running. We made a list of the concerns we’ve been hearing from new Fellows, long standing Fellows, former Chancellors, architects who hope to become Fellows. Can we do better? Can we do it all this year? We are certainly going to try.

By the time you read this, you will already have heard about our plans from your Regional Representatives, but it is never too late to let us know your thoughts.

Here is our list of Mission Focused Groups, our road map for 2023:

COF Activities at the A'23 Conference

Co-Chairs: Chancellor Frances Halsband, FAIA, and Vice Chancellor Ron Blitch, FAIA

How can Fellows be a more visible presence at A’23? How can we bring more Fellows’ activities to the Conference floor, engaging Fellows with other attendees? We are currently working with the YAF on AIA Kids, a way to engage young architects and their families with COF-sponsored activities. Also underway are plans for this year’s 2+2 session with former Chancellor Ed Kodet, FAIA.

Research

Co-chairs: Vice Chancellor Ron Blitch, FAIA & Bursar Jeanne Jackson, FAIA

There have been several studies suggesting improvement to the Latrobe Prize. What can we do better? How does it fit with other AIA research agendas? How do we monitor the process and results once the study is underway? How do we publicize and disseminate results to the membership? Are there other formats we should consider?

Opportunity Grants

Chair: Secretary Kate Schwennsen, FAIA

How do we use our financial resources to sponsor grants? Are we getting the best value from our Component Grant program? How do we monitor results? Last year we made opportunity grants to the Say it Loud Octagon Exhibition and the YAF Planning Conference.

Administrative Structure

We are also looking at simplifying our budget reporting so we can monitor our spending in a timely way, looking for more funding opportunities, and looking at ways to maintain better communication with AIA Leadership.

Frances Halsband, FAIA 61st Chancellor, AIA College of Fellows