The School of Architecture needs improvements in cultural diversity, accessibility, financial considerations and pre-design and site design skills, according to six accreditation committee members from the National Architectural Accrediting Board who made the recommendations Wednesday.
The list of standards defined by the Board are classified as having been met with distinction, not met or being causes for concern.
“Most state universities are not unique for cutting back in their budget,” said Team Chair of the NCARB Accreditation Team Dan Redstone. “The ability to maintain the level of quality is always a challenge.”
Within the School of Architecture, conditions met with distinction included communication skills and fundamental design skills, especially in 4000-level courses.
Conditions not met included cultural diversity, pre-design skills, site design and communication and social responsibility.
Causes for concern included physical and sensory accessibility, comprehensive design, financial considerations and building service systems.
The committee will submit its recommendations to the National Architectural Accrediting Board, who will then release the official accreditation report for the School of Architecture in July or August of this year.
Prior to the committee’s evaluation, the School of Architecture submitted a preliminary report that detailed the state of the school.
This report, which was sent in September 2012, included information such as average GPA, male-to-female ratio, budget allocation, admission rates and many more aspects of the program.
The committee spent four days evaluating the status of both the master’s and bachelor’s programs to determine if standards set up by the National Architectural Accrediting Board were met.
The bachelor’s program has been accredited since 1962, while the master’s program has been accredited since 2000.
“The accreditation of the school is critical,” said architecture junior Ryan Zeringue. “Without it, a degree would be meaningless.”
Over the course of the week, student work was showcased through an exhibit in Atkinson Hall where committee members, faculty and students could interact and observe a variety of pieces during the accreditation process.
“To me, the accreditation procedure for our degree is more than just a requirement to seek a license to practice, but a chance to showcase the incredible work and community we have here at the school to visiting professionals,” said architecture senior Tyler Detiveaux.
The majority of the committee agreed that the program has produced students with strong design skills as well as a strong community outreach program.
The accreditation process, which occurs every six years, consists of evaluations in 32 student performance criteria, which are broken down into three areas. These areas comprise specific requirements in professional and ethical practices, critical thinking and communication skills and technical building skills.
“We want to not just meet their standards, but to exceed them,” said Director of the LSU School of Architecture Jori Erdman. “It’s extremely important for the School of Architecture to have accreditation because we are the flagship institution of the state.”
This accreditation committee from the National Architectural Accrediting Board comprises six representatives from four collateral organizations: the American Institute of Architects, the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, the American Institute of Architecture Students and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture.
“We want to not just meet their standards, but to exceed them.”
