Frances Halsband FAIA named to AIA College of Fellows Executive Committee and Honored by NewSchool of Architecture
Frances Halsband FAIA has been recognized for her activism in strengthening ethical standards for architects with election as Secretary of the Executive Committee of the AIA College of Fellows. Her election was held at the business meeting of the annual AIA conference in Las Vegas, NV last Saturday June 8, 2019.
Next week, Halsband will be the commencement speaker at the NewSchool of Architecture & Design in San Diego and will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Design. The school is a globally recognized and forward-thinking institution that aims to represent innovation in the shifting design landscape. Halsband says that “students were the rallying cry” that inspired her call to action.
At the 161st AIA annual meeting in June 2018, Halsband introduced Resolution 18-16, calling to amend the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct to ensure the equal treatment of all design professionals and staff, and for the first time explicitly prohibiting abuse and harassment within the profession. In September 2018, the AIA Board of Directors approved changes to the Code. Then-President Carl Elefante FAIA said, “I applaud the members who raised their voices to offer these improvements.” In December 2018 Halsband was honored with an AIA Presidential Citation by Elefante.
“It is a great honor to work with the College of Fellows to build on the momentum, witnessing real change in the profession while welcoming a diverse group of new Fellows over the next four years,” said Halsband.
Halsband was elected AIA New York’s first woman president in 1991 and is a past president of the Architectural League and New York City Landmarks Preservation Commissioner.
The American Institute of Architects represents over 94,000 members. Fellows are elected in recognition of their contributions to architecture and society by the AIA College of Fellows which comprises about 3,500 leaders in the field. Fellowship is the highest honor bestowed by the AIA upon individual members.
