NAAB Seeks Nominations from ACSA, AIA, AIAS, and NCARB for Board Directors and Team Pool Nominations

The NAAB Board is composed of 14 individuals nominated by ACSA, AIA, AIAS, and NCARB. These are volunteers who serve NAAB without compensation in positions of responsibility with certain legal obligations. Volunteers have a fiduciary duty (“loyalty”) to NAAB. They must avoid actual or perceived conflicts of interest and they must not “expropriate business opportunities and exploit those opportunities for their personal use or for their companies’ use.”

Expectations of the Board as a Whole

The mission of NAAB is to develop and maintain an accreditation system in professional degree education that enhances the value, relevance, and effectiveness of the profession of architecture.

As the highest leadership body of the organization and to satisfy its fiduciary duties, the board is responsible for:

• determining the mission and purposes of the organization
• selecting and evaluating the performance of the executive director
• strategic and organizational planning
• approving annual committee charges
• ensuring strong fiduciary oversight and financial management
• speaking with one voice when representing the NAAB and the NAAB Board decisions
• providing subject matter expertise in developing resources to support NAAB programs
• accrediting architecture programs and reviewing relevant documents
• granting International Certification and reviewing relevant documents
• enhancing NAAB’s public image as the accreditor of architecture programs
• assessing its own performance as the governing body of NAAB

Expectations of Individual Board Directors

Each individual board director is expected to:

• uphold the fiduciary duties of care, loyalty, and obedience to NAAB
• know the organization’s mission, policies, programs, and needs
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the NAAB criteria for Accreditation and International Certification
• faithfully read and understand the organization’s financial statements
• serve as active advocates and ambassadors for the organization
• fully engage in identifying and securing the resources and partnerships necessary for NAAB to advance its mission
• leverage connections, networks, and resources to develop collective action to fully achieve NAAB’s mission
• prepare for, attend, and conscientiously participate in board meetings
• serve on eligibility visits
• participate in committees, task forces, and/or workgroups as appointed

Board Directors are also expected to:

• follow the organization’s bylaws, policies, and board resolutions
• annually disclose conflicts-of-interest and communicate any potential conflicts of interest as they emerge, and before and during meetings
• maintain confidentiality about all internal matters of NAAB and other matters deemed confidential

Qualifications for Board Directors

• Commitment to promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity
• Ability to travel to in-person Board meetings (four-day commitment), two to three times per year and attend virtual meetings
• Willingness to serve as an officer (for those nominated by ACSA, AIA, or NCARB)
• Familiarity with higher education and accreditation
• Awareness of issues related to graduate preparedness
• Leadership experience
• Strategic planning and budget experience
• NAAB visiting team experience is helpful

Each visiting team consists of at least four individuals, each of whom represents one of the four constituent areas of expertise: a practitioner, an educator, a regulator, and a student, all selected from the team pool.

Individuals should have a demonstrated interest in architecture education and be current in the range of skills necessary for contemporary practice. Nominees should have excellent written and verbal communication skills and have the ability to work effectively in teams. NAAB encourages individuals from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in our profession to apply.

Important information:

• Team Training – Nominees will be required to complete NAAB’s team training program prior to participating on a visiting team.
• Availability – Team members must be available for all the pre-site visit meetings in addition to being fully present for all the days of the visit, which will be in-person starting in 2024. Spring visits generally occur between late January and early April of each year; fall visits are typically scheduled between late September and early November.
• Team Selection – In comprising a site visit team, NAAB will consider individual areas of expertise, availability for the established visit dates, and will balance each team in terms of geography, gender, race/ethnicity, and accreditation experience.