I got an email the other day from the AIA regarding DORA’s Continuing Professional Competency program.   It seems the relatively new program is on the chopping block for a cash strapped state looking to slash its budget.   Here is an excerpt from the email (below).  You can read the whole piece and additional talking points from AIA Colorado on their website here. (link)

AIA Colorado is asking you to stand up for your profession, and call your state representative to have him/her vote “yes” on House Bill 10-1148 to remove continuing competency from the Architects’ Licensing statute.

-”Continuing Professional Competency” was a proposed system pushed by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), which the AIA Colorado Board of Directors believes has nothing to do with competency to practice architecture. Instead, the contemplated system is an exercise that will add cost and red-tape to a profession struggling to find design work.

-DORA has been systematically working to add continuing competency to other licensed professions in Colorado.

-During meetings with major insurance agencies, AIA Colorado was warned that a high degree of professional liability would be associated with a self-declaration of competency and that insurers would be reluctant to write policies covering architects who self-declare that they were less than competent in any area, because such declarations would be discoverable evidence in the event of a claim against an architect.

According to his lobbyist, the Governor is “fine” with AIA Colorado’s effort to seek repeal.

At first I was one of the architects really resistant to this program but, once I settled into the process, I really started to warm up to attending the continuing ed sessions. AIA Colorado does a great job of providing a wide range of continuing ed opportunities that you could match to your area of practice and qualified for the DORA program.

It really surprises me that the AIA made an about face on this program because it seemed like it was a great economic boon to their organization and reinforced an already strong continuing ed program.   I’m not a real big player in the AIA so I can only speculate…

We have updated our blog to accompany our new site.  You can still check the “news” section of our homepage for a brief description on our updates.   For an in-depth look at any particular post check out our blog at www.arch-estra.com/blog .

We hope to use this tool to keep everyone up to speed with our work, events and issues surrounding architecture and web design in colorado.