The selection process for the Architect of the Capitol (AoC) changed significantly for the worse this week. We are asking for your assistance in helping us take immediate action to address this critical situation.

In the most recent of our ongoing meetings with Commission members and their staff in support of our candidates, we learned that none of the AIA candidates will make the cut. Our sources said that several members of the Congressional Commission charged with selecting the next Architect of the Capitol are staunchly reluctant to forward an architect candidate because of management and personnel related problems associated with the tenure of the recently retired incumbent. Additionally, the AIA has less than a month before the selection process closes to provide additional candidates.

In response to this news, we want to increase public awareness and put pressure on the Commission to rethink the direction of the selection process. One bad experience does not justify a wholesale indictment of the entire architecture profession. A non-architect serving in this position is not in the best interest of the public and we have a small window of opportunity to influence which candidates are forwarded.

A Roll Call story on the AIAs concerns about the Architect of the Capitol selection process was published yesterday.

Please take the following actions:

• Contact your Congressional representatives and ask them to make calls on behalf of the AIA.
  Find US Senators At: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
  Find US House Reps At: http://www.house.gov/writerep/
  
  
• Send a letter on your firm's letterhead encouraging Commission members to select an architect.
  
  
• See talking points below.
  
  
• Submit the online petition:
  [GoTo: http://www.aia.org/advocacy2_template.cfm?pagename=aoc%5Fpetition ]

Talking points to frame your message include:

• The Commission is being shortsighted and failing to comprehend the potential long-term negative impact such a decision would have on the character of our nations capitol, a place where the buildings also serve as symbols of American democracy.
  
  
• The next decade brings many challenging architectural design issues such as the sustainability of the Congressional offices and maintaining security in an open society.
  
  
• The next Architect of the Capitol, an architect, must possess both managerial and design skills to successfully navigate through these complex challenges.

Contact information on Commission members is available online.
[GoTo: http://www.aia.org/aoc ]

 
Please direct any questions to:

Paul Mendelsohn
(email) pmendelsohn@aia.org,
(phone) 202-626-7388

or

Phil Simon
(email) psimon@aia.org,
(phone) 202-626-7463.

Thank you in advance for your help with this important matter.