DRAFT Annual Meeting Minutes - 1997

DRAFT MINUTES OF THE ARCC ANNUAL MEETING

NOVEMBER 8, 1997 | WASHINGTON, DC

(These minutes will not be an official record of ARCC until approved by the ARCC Executive Board in a subsequent meeting)

Presiding: Richard Schneider, President.

1. Welcome and Introduction. Richard Schneider called the meeting to order at 9:15 am and those attending were welcomed. Introductions were made later. Members of the Executive Board in attendance were:

President: Richard Schneider Vice President: Walter Grondzik Treasurer: Robert Johnson Secretary: Martha Scotford Members at Large: Carolyn Dry, Bruce Haglund, Joe Bilello, Mary Kihl Ex Officio: Julia Robinson (past president)

2. Approval of Minutes of 1996 meeting. (copy attached)

Copies of minutes to the November 22, 1996 meeting were distributed by Martha Scotford for review and comment. Julia Robinson requested amendment: in item #4, she was not elected to the Executive Board, she serves automatically as Past President. With this change, on a motion to accept by J. Robinson, seconded by C. Dry, the minutes were accepted.

3. Treasurer's Report. (copy attached)

Robert Johnson presented the 1997 financial statement and an outline of revenues and expenses for 1998. An audit report conducted by W. Grondzik and M. Scotford was presented by R. Johnson and reviewed by the Board. Comments by R. Johnson included: there were 42 members, currently 34 but will probably be close to 40 when all bills paid; budget is estimated as the same as last year, has been stable for past few years; publications remain the largest expense, and the conference call the second largest; membership development costs have now been zeroed out. On a motion by C. Dry, seconded by W. Grondzik, the Treasurer's reports, audit, and financial statements were approved as submitted. Thanks for his good work were extended to R. Johnson.

4. President's Report. (copy attached)

Richard Schneider presented his report reviewing the year's activities (conferences and research awards) and achievements (collaboration on forming IAR with AIA and ACSA). He expressed thanks to R. Johnson for his several years of service to the Board and appreciation to all members of the Board for their support during his three years of service as president.

In addition, a resolution was read by R. Schneider, written by R. Johnson and John Eberhard, honoring the work of Jonathan King, founder and first president of ARCC, at Texas A+M University, and currently very ill. On a motion from R. Johnson, seconded by C. Dry the resolution was adopted. The resolution is as follows:

ARCC is deeply appreciative of the longstanding commitment of Jonathan King to the advancement of architectural research. During his early days at the Educational Facilities Laboratory at the Ford Foundation, as a partner in CRS, as director of the Architectural Research Laboratory at the University of Michigan and, more recently, as director of the CRS Center at Texas A and M University, he stimulated others to understand and explore how to systematically link the process of architectural design to human satisfaction. As a founder of the original ARCC and its first president, he has raised the aspirations of the university-based architectural research community to link their efforts in a manner that would make the sum of their efforts greater than the parts.

5. Nominations for Officers and Voting.

Nominations for officers to the Executive Board were solicited from the membership by Michelle Rinehart; the following ran unopposed and were accepted after a motion by J. Robinson, seconded by V. Dzidzienyo:

President: Walter Grondzik Vice President: Bruce Haglund Treasurer: Alison Kwok Secretary: Martha Scotford

Ballots were distributed for voting on the 4 at-large members; the following were elected:

Carolyn Dry Mary Kihl Mike O'Brien Brian Sinclair

As Past President, Richard Schneider will automatically be an Ex Officio member of the Executive Board.

6. Review of the November 7 symposium "Exploring Research Interests in Architecture and Related Disciplines".

R. Schneider extended thanks to W. Grondzik for his organizational efforts; W. Grondzik thanked Don Watson. The following comments were made, briefly paraphrased here:

J. Robinson: support for similar program in alternate years, with a format change; need lobbying in small groups to discuss issues and put federal agencies on the spot; ARCC should be part of the agenda making for research.

B. Haglund: agencies do not understand us; several left early and did not hear who we all were; there are different interest groups.

C. Dry: in last year's minutes there were sub-committees; should investigate networks and revive those now.

V. Dzidzienyo: can ARCC be part of the White House initiative with HUD; IAR may have more gravity, ARCC as an observer?

M. Rinehart: AIA might want to use their federal affairs person and the PIA representatives.

D. Brentrup: ARCC should be more pro-active with agencies; to give them more information about research groups; need a visual interconnection to show active research areas as examples to help inform.

M. O'Brien: many presenters used key word searches for preparation of remarks; we should be providing the key words.

C. Dry: take a list of projects and categorize into federal agency topics; show that we work in these areas, show action.

R. Schneider: need an internal search engine in our web/listserve combination; need to direct federal agencies to our work (for example, EDRA does most of the justice research).

D. vanBakergem: look at AIA/PIA language to make sure using the same names.

J. Robinson: need a sub-committee to work with M. Rinehart on the site; find useful categories and terms.

S. Danford: many federal agencies who fund [arch. research] were not here yesterday; still do not know of research and relevance of arch. research; need to lobby agencies to make understand role of research and we can help with their agenda; need to communicate with own faculty about how to think in agency priorities terms.

R. Schneider: could not get all agencies; for example NEA backed out because in disarray; need a package of information to address them all.

C. Dry: who could lead effort with HUD on the PATH initiative?

R. Schnieder: suggest C. Dry and committee of D. vanBakergem, M. O'Brien.

(Also Language committee to help M. Rinehart is: S. Danford, M. O'Brien, J. Robinson, W. Grondzik, B. Sinclair.)

B. Sinclair: Arch. field is marginalized by federal departments; hard to address, don't always know jargon and background; ARCC could write guidelines about how to approach departments; Canadian schools can only apply if partnered with American schools; Canadian gov't more open to outsiders; wants to connect with other Canadian schools and ARCC to meet with Canadian agencies.

D. vanBakergem: what about international work? issues across world; look further than North America.

(International committee formed: B. Sinclair, D. vanBakergem, M. Kihl, V. Dzidzienyo, J. Bilello, J. Robinson.)

J. Snyder: ARCC needs to connect researchers with proper level of person in agency; the PI sells the work to the programmatic people. ARCC Executive Board would be active at higher levels, go to UN, deal with press. ARCC to say important things to nation about problems to address; to assistant secretary level of agencies; present what arch. research has to offer; Executive Board should talk to congressional committees; talk to press on substantive issues; get involved with major initiatives like the HUD one.

R. Schneider: IAR is a way to get to the higher levels; the constituency is better defined.

W. Grondzik: five initiatives are being proposed and these will head them up:

Language - J. Robinson PATH initiative - C. Dry International - B. Sinclair Guidelines - D. Brentrup Lobbying - the Board

R. Schubert: a promotional piece needed "what is arch. research?" a slide tray of work; public need to know; hire someone to do a piece?

7. ARCC Website report.

W. Grondzik urged all members to look at the site and to provide information and updates on their schools. The site is only useful if it is active and current. Schools can be expansive with information and include visual materials. January deadline established and format should be followed as it makes it easier for visitors to scan site.

B. Sinclair: should ARCC use site for electronic journal publishing? put up spring conference papers or at least the abstracts?

R. Schubert: could press a CD of the school profiles; provide an artifact to the agencies and for committee meetings.

M. Rinehart: e-journals have some problems; some print journals will not consider papers if "e-published" first.

8. Update on Future ARCC conferences and activities.

W. Grondzik reported on Spring 1998 conference with EAAE at North Carolina State University: he has received 18 abstracts so far; deadline has been extended to December 1. He expects to have at least 30 abstracts submitted and thinks the narrow theme has cut down on submissions. The plans are for 28 papers each from American and European sources. M. Scotford reported that registration materials have been distributed, facilities planning is underway and keynote speaker possibilities are under consideration.

The ACSA Administrators' Conference at Mississippi State University will be attended by both M. Rinehart and M. Moeller, who will report on ARCC activities. J. Bilello will also attend and make full report on the November 7 symposium.

The IAR (Initiative for Architectural Research) sponsored by AIA, ACSA and ARCC is now established. R. Schneider asked if there were any problems with going ahead; there were none. A brochure describing its objectives, members, and the new website to go online January 1. 1998 was distributed. M. Rinehart described the representation system: two from AIA, two from ACSA and one from ARCC, three-year terms, with rotations established to provide continuity. It was agreed that ARCC President did not necessarily have to be rep and three-year might not always work for ARCC. Decided to have R. Schneider remain as ARCC rep for one more year. Further discussion about how to organize website and links to schools, organizations and how to create searchable database. Discussion of issue of whether IAR will handle funding of research, and how it will be distributed. ACSA newsletter will remain proper place for research news and M. Kihl will have regular ARCC column there.

9. School Research reports.

Reports from seventeen member schools were presented. The Secretary asked that each reporter send the information electronically to M. Kihl for easy inclusion in future editions of the ARCC Newsletter. The schools reported on were: North Carolina State University, University of Manitoba, Arizona State University, Howard University, State University of New York at Buffalo, Texas Tech University, Florida A+M University, University of Idaho, Cornell University, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Washington University, University of Minnesota, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Virginia Tech University, University of Michigan, Texas A+M University, and. University of Florida.

10. Publications.

Mary Kihl reported on the current publication activity. There are three newsletters per year due to finances; cheaper and lighter paper has been found. Proceedings from research conferences are the largest expense. The "Retrospective" booklet from the 1996 meeting was produced inexpensively; it was important to have a printed record. The ARCC brochure should be updated soon. As the source for the Newsletter, ASU has become the clearing house for information request about research. R. Schneider thanked M. Kihl again for her considerable efforts and organization of production, and she was applauded.

11. New Business and Initiatives.

The University of Arizona's Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) Archive initiative was presented at the November 7 symposium in a handout. In a motion by J. Robinson, seconded by W. Grondzik, the membership approved a statement of support for the project and encouraged a connection with IAR and collaboration with others; it was emphasized this support was not financial.

V. Dzidzienyo introduced the need for an ARCC archives, partly based on his own collection of files. Many current and past board members have files and publications that are important records of the organization and need preservation and organization, preferably in a central place. AIA might accept the donation of historically important organization documents. Further action will be decided by the new Board.

C. Dry asked about D. Watson's statement that research was not included in the new NAAB guidelines. She requested that the Board check on this issue and on-going ARCC involvement in the criteria writing process.

M. Rinehart asked about categories of ARCC membership, specifically if there could be a reduced student membership category, and would the Board consider a student member on the Board. W. Grondzik commented that the student research awards program might be a way to increase involvement with students, and part of award could be membership.

J. Robinson encouraged early thinking about meetings for next year and connections with ACSA; perhaps at ACSA administrators' meeting in Washington, DC in November 1998, issues about teaching vs. research and consulting vs. research could be discussed. The new Board will further define issues and plan format for such meetings. W. Grondzik said there was a good spirit at this Board meeting and it seemed to help to have a workshop or other content meeting in association with the Annual meeting. R. Schneider added that such combinations of meetings also help administrators see ARCC as active.

B. Sinclair said it is important for ARCC to connect with central university administration and to use the organization to speak to them; issues will be heard better than if from individual faculty. He went on with several ideas; perhaps the internet could be used for mentoring of junior faculty inter-institutionally. A research guide book (perhaps like the Malecha and Greenstreet Tenure book) could be web-based, with chapters written by different ARCC members. In the environmental design area what students need is more legal information and litigation research to prepare for practice.

M. Kihl said the Newsletter can report topical items and perhaps present the issues and start the discussion.

J. Robinson stated that she will be stepping down from 15 years of service on the Board and that she was gratified by the changes in the organization's growth in that time; what had been a "old boys network" and she the only woman when she started, was now a younger and more broadly representative body including many women; also that the range of issues under discussion had increased. She would miss the organization community. R. Schneider thanked her for her years of support and service and she was applauded. C. Dry suggested that the organization institute a practice of proclamations or plaques to mark significant service by individuals such as J. Robinson and R. Schneider. The new Board will act on this.

M. Rinehart asked how best to effect transition between old and new school representatives; how to get information out to faculty; were there alternate reps allowed? J. Robinson suggested that some schools might pay for extra reps, perhaps from centers, there was precedence for this, but still only one vote per school.

R. Schneider turned meeting over to new President, Walter Grondzik.

12. Statement from New President.

W. Grondzik stated it was an honor and a challenge to preside over this group and its activities; there were lots of good ideas and initiatives to work with in the coming year. He extended the gratitude of the organization to R. Schneider for his three years as President and more years of support for the organization. Concluding, he said he was thinking about how to tap into energy and expertise of those not on the Board but who attend the meetings and it was an issue to address. One idea is to post minutes of conference call meetings on the web and ask for feedback. He was pleased to be directing the continued efforts of ARCC.

13. Conference call for December.

It was agreed that noon EST and Thursday work well; further details will be communicated by email. W. Grondzik reviewed the five task groups and members.

The Board meeting was adjourned at 1:05 pm.

Submitted by Martha Scotford, Secretary (1996-1997).