La. Admin. Code tit. 46 § I-1315

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 12, December 20, 2024

Section I-1315 - Continuing Education

A. Purpose and Scope. These rules provide for a continuing education program to insure that all architects remain informed of those technical and professional subjects necessary to safeguard life, health, and promote the public welfare. These rules shall apply to all architects practicing architecture in this state.

B. Exemptions. An architect shall not be subject to these requirements if:

1. a newly registered architect during his or her initial year of registration;

2. the architect has been granted emeritus or other similar honorific but inactive status by the board, or an emeritus status architect as defined by board rule §1105 E;

3. the architect otherwise meets all renewal requirements and is called to active military service, has a serious medical condition, or can demonstrate to the board other like hardship, then upon the board's so finding, the architect may be excused from some or all of these requirements.

C. Definitions

AIA-the American Institute of Architects.

AIA/CES-the continuing education system developed by AIA to record professional learning as a mandatory requirement for membership in the AIA.

ARE-the Architect Registration Examination prepared by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.

Board-the Louisiana State Board of Architectural Examiners, 9625 Fenway Avenue, Suite B, Baton Rouge, LA 70809, telephone: (225) 925-4802, telecopier: 225-925-4804, website: www.lastbdarchs.com.

Continuing Education (CE)-continuing education is a post-licensure learning that enables a registered architect to increase or update knowledge of and competence in technical and professional subjects related to the practice of architecture to safeguard the public's health, safety, and welfare.

Continuing Education Hour (CEH)-one continuous instructional hour (50 to 60 minutes of contact) spent in structured educational activities intended to increase or update the architect's knowledge and competence in health, safety, and welfare subjects. If the provider of the structured educational activities prescribes a customary time for completion of such an activity, then such prescribed time shall, unless the board finds the prescribed time to be unreasonable, be accepted as the architect's time for continuing education hour purposes irrespective of actual time spent on the activity.

Health, Safety, and Welfare Subjects - technical and professional subjects related to the practice of architecture that the board deems appropriate to safeguard the public and that are within the following continuing education subject areas necessary for the proper evaluation, design, construction, and utilization of buildings and the built environment.

a. Practice Management. This category focuses on areas related to the management of architectural practice and the details of running a business.

b. Project Management. This category focuses on areas related to the management of architectural projects through execution.

c. Programming and Analysis. This category focuses on areas related to the evaluation of project requirements, constraints, and opportunities.

d. Project Planning and Design. This category focuses on areas related to the preliminary design of sites and buildings.

e. Project Development and Documentation. This category focuses on areas related to the integration and documentation of building systems, material selection, and material assemblies into a project.

f. Construction and Evaluation. This category focuses on areas related to construction contract administration and post-occupancy evaluation of projects.

g. pre-design - land use analysis, programming, site selection, site and soils analysis, surveying;

h. design - urban planning, master planning, building design, site design, interiors, safety and security measures;

i. construction documents - drawings, specifications, delivery methods;

j. construction contract administration: contracts, bidding, contract negotiations.

NCARB-the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.

Non-Resident Architect-an architect registered by the board and residing outside Louisiana.

Resident Architect-an architect residing in this state.

Sponsor-an individual, organization, association, institution or other entity which offers an educational activity for the purpose of fulfilling the continuing education requirements of these rules.

Structured Educational Activities - educational activities in which at least 75 percent of an activity's content and instructional time must be devoted to health, safety, and welfare subjects related to the practice of architecture, including courses of study or other activities under the areas identified as health, safety and welfare subjects and provided by qualified individuals or organizations whether delivered by direct contact or distance learning methods.

D. Continuing Education Requirements

1. Beginning with license renewals effective January 1, 1999, all architects must show compliance with the educational requirements of these rules as a condition for renewing registration.

2. In addition to all other requirements for registration renewal, an architect must complete a minimum of 12 continuing education hours each calendar year or be exempt from these continuing education requirements as provided above. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in non-renewal of the architect's registration or other discipline as set forth below.

3. Continuing Education Hours. Continuing education hours must be completed in health, safety, and welfare subjects acquired in structured educational activities. Continuing education hours may be acquired at any location. Excess continuing education hours may not be credited to a future calendar year.

E. Acceptable Educational Activities

1. Credit will be allowed only for continuing education activities in areas which:

a. directly safeguard the public's health, safety, and welfare; and

b. provide individual participant documentation from a person other than the participant for record keeping and reporting.

2. Acceptable continuing educational activities in health, safety, and welfare subjects include the following:

a. attending professional or technical health, safety, and welfare subject seminars, lectures, presentations, courses, or workshops offered by a professional or technical organization (AIA, National Fire Protection Association, Concrete Standards Institute, NCARB, etc.), insurer, or manufacturer;

b. successfully completing health, safety, and welfare subject tutorials, short courses, correspondence courses, televised courses, or video-taped courses offered by a provider mentioned in the preceding Subparagraph;

c. successfully completing health, safety, and welfare subject monographs or other self-study courses such as those sponsored by NCARB or a similar organization which tests the architect's performance;

d. making professional or technical health, safety, and welfare subject presentation at meetings, conventions or conferences;

e. teaching or instructing health, safety, and welfare subject courses;

f. authoring a published paper, article or book;

g. successfully completing college or university sponsored courses; and

h. service upon NCARB committees dealing with health, safety, and welfare subjects.

3. Continuing educational activities need not take place in Louisiana, but may be acquired at any location.

4. All continuing education activities shall:

a. have a clear purpose and objective;

b. be well organized and provide evidence of pre-planning;

c. be presented by persons who are well qualified by education or experience in the field being taught;

d. provide individual participant documentation from a person other than the participant for record keeping and reporting; and

e. shall not focus upon the sale of any specific product or service offered by a particular manufacturer or provider.

F. Number of Continuing Education Hours Earned

1. Continuing education credits shall be measured in continuing education hours and shall be computed as follows.

a. Attending seminars, lectures, presentations, workshops, or courses shall constitute one continuing education hour for each contact hour of attendance.

b. Successfully completing tutorials, short courses, correspondence courses, televised or video-taped courses, monographs and other self-study courses shall constitute the continuing education hours recommended by the program sponsor.

c. Teaching or instructing a qualified seminar, lecture, presentation, or workshop shall constitute two continuing education hours for each contact hour spent in the actual presentation. Teaching credit shall be valid for teaching a seminar or course in its initial presentation only. Teaching credit shall not apply to full-time faculty at a college, university or other educational institution.

d. Authoring a published paper, article or book shall be equivalent of eight continuing education hours.

e. Successfully completing one or more college or university semester or quarter hours shall satisfy the continuing education hours for the year in which the course was completed.

2. Any health, safety, and welfare subject contained in the record of an approved professional registry will be accepted by the board as fulfilling the continuing education requirements of these rules. The board approves the AIA as a professional registry, and contact hours listed in health, safety, and welfare subjects in the AIA/CES transcript of continuing education activities will be accepted by the board for both resident and non-resident architects.

G. Reporting, Record Keeping and Auditing

1. An architect shall complete and submit forms as required by the board certifying that the architect has completed the required continuing education hours. The board requires that each architect shall complete the language on the renewal application pertaining to that architect's continuing education activities during the calendar year immediately preceding the license renewal period. Any untrue or false statement or the use thereof with respect to course attendance or any other aspect of continuing educational activity is fraud or misrepresentation and will subject the architect and/or program sponsor to license revocation or other disciplinary action.

2. To verify attendance each attendee shall obtain an attendance certificate from the program sponsor. Additional evidence may include but is not limited to attendance receipts, canceled checks, and sponsor's list of attendees (signed by a responsible person in charge of the activity). A log showing the activity claimed, sponsoring organization, location, duration, etc., should be supported by other evidence. Evidence of compliance shall be retained by the architect for two years after the end of the period for which renewal was requested.

3. The renewal applications or forms may be audited by the board for verification of compliance with these requirements. Upon request by the board, evidence of compliance shall be submitted to substantiate compliance of the requirements of these rules. The board may request further information concerning the evidence submitted or the claimed educational activity. The board has final authority with respect to accepting or rejecting continuing education activities for credit.

4. The board may disallow claimed credit. If the board disallows any continuing education hours, the architect shall have 60 days from notice of such disallowance either to provide further evidence of having completed the continuing education hours disallowed or to remedy the disallowance by completing the required number of continuing education hours (but such continuing education hours shall not again be used for the next calendar year). If the board finds, after proper notice and hearing, that the architect willfully disregarded these requirements or falsified documentation of required continuing education hours, the architect may be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the board regulations.

5. Documentation of reported continuing education hours shall be maintained by the architect for six years from the date of award.

H. Pre-Approval of Programs

1. Upon written request, the board will review a continuing education program prior to its presentation provided all of the necessary information to do so is submitted in accordance with these rules. If the program satisfies the requirements of these rules, the board will pre-approve same.

2. A person seeking to obtain pre-approval of a continuing education program shall submit the following information:

a. program sponsor(s): name(s), address(es), and phone number(s);

b. program description: name, detailed description, length of instructional periods, and total hours for which credit is sought;

c. approved seminar topic: division(s) and topic(s) from the current list of approved seminar topics;

d. program instructor(s)/leader(s): name(s) of instructor(s)/ leader(s) and credential(s);

e. time and place: date and location of program; and

f. certification of attendance: sponsor's method for providing evidence of attendance to attendees.

3. Such information shall be submitted at least 30 calendar days in advance of the program so that the board may analyze and respond.

4. The sponsor of a pre-approved program may announce or indicate as follows:

"This course has been approved by the Louisiana State Board of Architectural Examiners for a maximum of ________ Continuing Education Hours."

I. Continuing Education Disciplinary Guidelines

1. The board sets forth below the normal discipline which will be imposed upon an architect who fails to fulfill the continuing education requirements required by the licensing law and these rules. The purpose of these guidelines is to give notice to architects of the discipline which will normally be imposed. In a particular case, the discipline imposed may be increased or decreased depending upon aggravating or mitigating factors.

2. Absent aggravating or mitigating circumstances, the following discipline shall be imposed for the following violations:

Violation	Discipline
1. Architect has hours but lacks in accepted setting or subject matter	Architect will be allowed 60 days to obtain needed hours. Architect will be audited next year.
2. Architect signs renewal, has obtained some, but not all, hours needed as of December 31 For a second offense within 5 years	Fine of $750, and architect must obtain required hours before renewing. Architect will be audited annually next three years. Fine of $1,500, architect's license suspended for six months, and architect must obtain required hours before renewing. Architect will be audited annually next three years.
3. Architect signs renewal; architect has not obtained any continuing education hours and fails to do so within sixty (60) days.	Fine up to $5,000, and architect's license suspended until architect obtains necessary hours. Architect will be audited annually the next five years.

J. Reinstatement

1. A former registrant may only apply for reinstatement if he has earned all delinquent continuing education hours in the year preceding the application, or the current year. However, if the total number of delinquent continuing education hours exceeds 24, then 24 shall be the maximum number of hours required.

2. An architect who has been granted emeritus or other similar honorific but inactive status by the board may only return to the active practice of architecture if he has earned the continuing education requirements for each exempted year in the year preceding the application, or the current year. However, if the total number of delinquent continuing education hours exceeds 24, then 24 shall be the maximum number of hours required.

La. Admin. Code tit. 46, § I-1315

Promulgated by the Office of the Governor, Board of Architectural Examiners, LR 29:565 (April 2003), amended LR 33:2419 (November 2007), LR 38:1012 (April 2012), LR 40:1693 (September 2014), Amended LR 45752 (6/1/2019).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:144.