e-EVR is Here!
The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) has launched the new electronic Experience Verification Reporting system (e-EVR) for interns to report their experience for the Intern Development Program (IDP). Interns can log in to the e-EVR through "My NCARB Record" and are strongly encouraged to begin using the new system right away. Paper submission will be quickly phased out over the coming months.

The e-EVR makes it easier for interns to submit experience reports and for supervisors to review and approve the reports. Once submitted by the intern, the report is saved instantly within their Record and a link to the report is sent to the identified supervisor. Supervisors should meet with their interns to discuss the report before it is approved or rejected. The status of all reports entered can be viewed on an intern's e-EVR home page. Interns can also view their progress through the IDP and identify any deficiencies so they can work with their supervisor and mentor to develop a plan to gain exposure in those areas. 

After reviewing the intern's report online, supervisors have the option to approve, return for edits, or reject the report. Once the supervisor acts on the report, it is saved to the intern's Record with the updated status. All reports are subject to NCARB's final review once approved by the supervisor. To aid supervisors with their role in the IDP, NCARB has developed IDP Supervisor Guidelines (PDF), which are available on NCARB's web site. See below for more information.

The e-EVR is designed to prevent common errors that currently occur on paper forms, reducing the possibility of rejections during the NCARB evaluation process. The e-EVR will also check that each report meets the Six-Month Rule requirements when the rule is implemented.

Interns may enter reports over any timeframe until the Six-Month Rule is phased in between July 2009 and July 2010. For more information on the Six-Month Rule visit http://www.ncarb.org/idp/SixMonRul.html.

The e-EVR is an integral part of NCARB's Business Process Reengineering Plan to improve customer service. The e-EVR adds transparency to the IDP reporting process and will reduce processing times.

Download NCARB's webcast or podcast of "The e-EVR" for instructions for both interns and supervisors on how to use the new system. NCARB will be offering a webinar on the e-EVR on 28 January 2009. Click here to register now!

IDP Supervisor Guidelines Now Available
NCARB has developed the IDP Supervisor Guidelines to assist supervisors in the crucial role they play in the careers of interns in the Intern Development Program (IDP). The guidelines are available to download on NCARB's web site, www.ncarb.org.

A supervisor's knowledge, guidance, and support are valuable to the development of an intern and add to the long-term quality of the profession. The IDP Supervisor Guidelines explains the objectives and requirements of the IDP and gives a supervisor a better understanding of an intern's expectations.

Navigating and completing IDP is every intern's responsibility. Supervisors are encouraged to teach, motivate, and help interns fulfill the requirements of the program throughout their journey to licensure. The guidelines offer a starting point to help develop and implement successful relationships that are beneficial to individuals, firms, and the profession.

For more information, see NCARB's webcast or podcast of "Successful Supervising," presented by NCARB Director, IDP, Harry Falconer Jr., AIA.

Learn To Go Green With NCARB Monographs
(while earning HSW/SD PDUs)

Beginning 1 January 2009, AIA members must have four hours of continuing education in sustainable design as part of their existing 18-hour annual continuing education requirement.

NCARB has identified our top ten listing of "green" monographs to help you satisfy the AIA's requirements and be more environmentally responsive.

Building Envelope (10 PDUs)
Daylighting Performance and Design (12 PDUs)
Design Within a Community Context (8 PDUs)
Energy-Conscious Architecture (10 PDUs)
Getting to Smart Growth (6 PDUs)
Getting to Smart Growth II (6 PDUs)
Improving Building Performance (10 PDUs)
Indoor Environment (10 PDUs)
Sustainable Design (10 PDUs)
Sustainable Design II (12 PDUs)

Click on the title for more information about these monographs or click here for a complete list NCARB monograph titles.

NCARB is pleased to announce that all NCARB monographs and mini-monographs meet AIA's Health, Safety, and Welfare (HSW) and Sustainable Design (SD) continuing education requirements.

NCARB monographs offer quality, convenience, and affordability. Current NCARB Record holders can earn PDUs for less than $16 per unit—one of the lowest continuing education unit costs available today.

2009 NCARB Prize for Creative Integration of Practice and Education in the Academy
Since the NCARB Prize was established in 2001, NCARB has awarded over $400,000 to architecture schools to encourage and support the integration of practice and education in the academy. Architecture schools with programs that are accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) and architecture schools with programs that are candidates for NAAB-accreditation are invited to submit established projects, completed or in progress by the end of the fall 2008 term, that demonstrate creative initiatives to integrate practice and education for the 2009 NCARB Prize.

Six programs will be selected prior to the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) Annual Meeting and announced during the ACSA Awards Ceremony in Portland, OR, in March 2009:

• One NCARB Grand Prize award of $25,000
• Five NCARB Prize awards of $7,500 each

Entries due by Tuesday, February 3, 2009. Submissions for the 2009 NCARB Prize must be received by NCARB no later than Tuesday, February 3, 2009, 5:00 PM EST.

To learn more about the NCARB Prize program and review submissions from previous prize recipients go to: www.ncarb.org/prize/prize.html. 

Click here to download general information, format and submission requirements, and a submission form.

2008 NCARB Grant for the Integration of Practice and Education in the Academy
Each academic year, NCARB awards up to a total of $10,000 through one, two, or three grants to architecture schools with programs that are accredited by NAAB and architecture schools with programs that are candidates for NAAB-accreditation to support the creation of new curricular initiatives that integrate practice and education.

2008 NCARB Grants have been awarded to three schools:

Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD
Department of Architecture, School of Architecture and Planning
Project: Architecture Design & Technology: The Integrated Intelligent Detail
NCARB Grant amount: $5,000

University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
School of Architecture and Interior Design
Project: Basics of Environmental Design Education
NCARB Grant amount: $2,500

University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Department of Architecture, College of Architecture and Urban Planning
Project: HiPerPod: Zero Energy Classroom
NCARB Grant amount: $2,500

See the Spring 2009 Issue of Direct Connection for more information about the 2008 NCARB Grant recipients. Proposals for the 2009 NCARB Grant must be submitted electronically to ncarbgrant@ncarb.org no earlier than Tuesday, September 22, 2009 and no later than Tuesday, October 20, 2009, 5:00 PM EDT.

To learn more about the NCARB Grant program go to http://www.ncarb.org/prize/grant.html.

At a Glance—the e-EVR:

...makes it easier for interns to report IDP training units.

...makes it easier for supervisors to review and approve reports.

...reduces processing times and data entry errors.

Did you know...

Beginning 1 January 2009, AIA members must have four hours of Sustainable Design (SD) continuing education as part of the existing 18-hour annual continuing education requirement, and that NCARB's monograph series now qualifies for SD CEUs.

Also, all mini-monographs are free to Record holders. Earn PDUs and CEUs now by downloading them from our publications section on www.ncarb.org.

NCARB Webcasts and Podcasts

The e-EVR
webcast and podcast
(This webinar will be offered again on 28 January 2009. Click here to register today!)

Successful Supervising
webcast and podcast

The Six-Month Rule
webcast and podcast

IDP Through Certification
webcast and podcast

Transitioning to ARE 4.0
podcast

The Prestige of the NCARB Prize
Each year NCARB awards $62,500 to architecture schools to recognize creative initiatives that integrate practice and education in the academy. Click here to learn how three schools that are recent recipients of the NCARB Grand Prize have used their $25,000 award to benefit the education of future architects.

Click here to learn more about the NCARB Prize, including eligibility requirements.

Helpful Links
My NCARB Record Log-in
ARE e-news Index
IDP e-news Index
Supervisor Guidelines (PDF)