Government Affairs Committee Mission Statement The goal of the Government Affairs Committee (“GAC”) is to establish a long-range plan to update laws affecting the profession of Architecture, through legislation, administrative law and legal advocacy. To achieve its goal, the GAC must develop, coordinate and expedite an annual, comprehensive, and pro-active plan for all government affairs, for review and approval by the Board of Directors of AIA Michigan. The GAC is not a policy-making body. The charge of the GAC is to investigate, debate, and recommend actions to the AIA Michigan Board of Directors that advance the interests of the profession, protect the health, safety and welfare of the public, and are consistent with AIA National polices. Upon receipt of final direction from the Board, the GAC will implement the policies, taking all necessary and reasonable measures within its authority |
Professional Practice
One of the highest standing priorities of the GAC is the advancement of the policies behind Michigan’s Architecture licensing laws. The GAC’s Professional Practice Task Force is the unit within the GAC with specific responsibility for implementation. The purpose of the licensing law is to protect the public’s health, safety and welfare by restricting the practice of Architecture only to persons meeting statutorily prescribed minimum competency requirements. Therefore, the fair and universal enforcement of the law is the focus of the Task Force. In advancing the goals of the GAC relative to professional practice, there are two basic areas of activity for the Task Force: Education and Enforcement.
The GAC Task Force endeavors to educate architects, governmental officials and the public about the licensing requirements of the State of Michigan, who can practice architecture, and the requirements for properly sealed drawings. To that end, the GAC may be represented at seminars or meetings to provide continuing education.
The GAC has also periodically publishes a bulletin-style update, entitled the “Code and Regulation Summary for Properly Sealed Drawings” to Michigan code enforcement officials, summarizing the requirements for properly-sealed drawings. This is done in cooperation with the engineering associations. The update is published every three years in relation to the issuance of the new building code. Unfortunately, for the last code cycle in 2009, the GAC did not publish a new Code and Regulation Summary due to budget limitations. Presently, the program is suspended but not terminated.
Regarding enforcement, the GAC and the Task Force has historically been a clearinghouse for licensing violation complaints for the membership, the various chapters and even the public. The Association’s historic record of news publications reveals the has been active in licensing enforcement as far back as 1938, just two years after licensing was instituted in Michigan (Thanks to Ben Tiseo for researching the AIAMI records).
GAC 2023 Membership
Jan Culbertson, FAIA (Committee Co-Chair) Jeff Ferweda, AIA (Committee Co-Chair) Paul Haselhuhn, AIA (AELSC) Bob Hoida, AIA (AELSC) Cindy Pozolo, FAIA Kristin Nyht, AIA Dan Whisler, AIA (APAC Treasurer) Matthew J. McGaughey, AIA LeRoy Stevens, AIA Steve Smith, AIA Neumann/Smith Architecture Paul Dannels, FAIA SDI-Structures Patrick Barry, AIA Neumann/Smith Architecture Eric Biller, AIA Barry Pozin, AIA | GAC Corresponding Members Melissa McKinley, Esq, Lobbyist Will Witting, AIA, AIAMI Past President Mike Neville, AIA, AIAMI Past President Paul Dannels, FAIA Greg Metz, AIA Sandra Laux, FAIA Cathy Mosley, Hon. Aff. AIAMI Stuart Pettitt, AIA Gary Quesada, Esq., Hon. Aff. AIAMI (CAM Legislative Counsel) Misty Raatz, Associate AIA Kevin Shultis, AIA (APAC Disbursement Committee Chair) John Vitale, AIA Daniel Tyrer, AIA David VanderKlok, AIA Anne Law (AIA National, Manager of Business & Practice Policy) Cynthia Witkin (AIA State & Local Relations Director) |
Open Positions
Contact Jan Culbertson, FAIA
Phone: (734) 663-1910
Email: jculbertson@a3c.com
Architects, Engineers & Surveyors Legislative Committee
AIA Michigan is one member of a Legislative Committee that gives guidance to our Legislative Council which is known as the Architects, Engineers & Surveyors Legislative Committee (AESLC). The four partners are: AIA Michigan, American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), Michigan Society of Professional Surveyors (MSPS) and Michigan Society of Professional Engineers (MSPE). Each organization holds four voting members. AELC meets on a regular basis to discuss and formulate our legislative agenda. The chair of the committee is rotated annually among the four members with AIA Michigan chairing in 2012.