News and Information

It's August 1956 and Architectural Record magazine reports on the progress of the new and "first national organization representing students in all the architecture schools." The report was written by then Student Board Secretary Laurie Mutchnik (of Pratt Institute) and Richard Langendorf (of Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Mutchnik and Langendorf write the following:

"The formation of the National Association of Students of Architecture (NASA) was a result of the first Student Forum, a meeting sponsored by the American Institute of Architects (at the time in the Octagon-based headquarters in Washington, DC) and attended by a student representative of each of the 63 schools of architecture in this country. The organization's creation was a spontaneous action stemming from the delegates' belief in the need for and the values of such a national group. This organization, one of every student of architecture, has three basic aims:

1. To assist with bringing about a deeper understanding between the professional architect and the architectural student.

2. To provide channels for the interchange of ideas between students, schools and countries.

3. To attempt to bring about a better understanding of architecture and the profession by the potential architectural student and the general public."

In its early years the organization is mainly concerned with creating a network for student interaction and aiding the students with their transition into the profession.

In November 1956 the second Student Forum(1) is held and the first constitution is adopted making the National Association of Students of Architecture a formal organization. Since then much has transpired but the mission of the student organization remains essentially the same today as it was at the founding: to promote excellence in architecture education, training and practice; to foster an appreciation of architecture and related disciplines; to enrich communities in a spirit of collaboration; and to organize students and combine their efforts to advance the art and science of architecture.

NASA: Before the Space Age
In 1956, architecture students established a continuing presence with the formation of NASA. Chapters are established at all of the schools of architecture and a regional governance network is formed by the students at the first Student Forum. The students also elect Jim Barry (of Rice Institute) as the first president. Having accomplished the task of organizing a disparate array of local student activities into a collective voice, these ambitious students of NASA plant the seed for the nationally organized student voice from which we benefit from today.

Like the presidents of more typical organizations, Barry serves as a part-time volunteer from his school with funding provided by The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Washington-area architectural programs. During his term, NASA publishes the first issue of LINE magazine, has representatives involved on AIA committees and hosts many interesting programs at the Octagon. The members of NASA also attend the AIA Convention in Los Angeles, with special programs designed specifically for students.

From NASA to ASC/AIA
In 1958 the student organization is renamed the Association of Student Chapters, AIA (ASC/AIA). Despite this obvious connection to the AIA, the staff and leaders of the AIA are concerned in the early years about a separate student organization. It is believed this will conflict with their objective of encouraging students to maintain their memberships with the AIA. Nevertheless, it is still as a surprise at the 1960 student convention (held on the campus of the University of California at Berkeley) that the AIA board of directors is proposing to abolish the student organization.(2) John Richards, FAIA, then president of the AIA states, "...[the student affiliations ] of the past had not been as successful as had been hoped, and that it was feeling of the Staff of the AIA that student organization structure was in need of improvement."

Obviously, any such proposals are never adopted by the AIA due to the lobbying efforts of the student leaders. The students convince the AIA leaders that the student chapter system is the foundation for the AIA and for the promotion of architecture. However, the final remarks made by student president Charles Jones (of the University of Arizona) on this matter foreshadow what is to become. In his speech to the General Session of the AIA on April 22, 1960 he states, "The students have no desire to make this organization so large that it becomes completely out of hand."

But things did get out of hand at the 1970 AIA Convention as student president Taylor Culver leads a student revolt. Minutes of the meeting report that Culver and his fellow students literally take over the podium from the AIA President and display their strength and solidarity.

The strength of the organization does indeed grow in all directions and the responsibilities of the officers coincide. So much so that two-term (1973-1975) president Fay D'Avignon (of the Boston Architectural Center) becomes the first ASC/AIA officer to take up full-time responsibilities in Washington, DC. This marks a new phase in the organization's efforts to become an autonomous voice of architectural students. This is a significant point when professionals and the AIA relinquish responsibilities to the ASC/AIA in many affairs that directly affect students.

From there the ASC/AIA truly develops into a unified national voice for students. The number of local chapters increases steadily as does the general membership. With the extra workload, it is clear that the vice president is needed on a full time basis as well. In 1975 President Ella Hall (of North Carolina State) and Vice President Steve Biegel (of Syracuse University) becomes the first ASC/AIA dynamic duo in Washington. Also at this time the term for the national officers changes to the current July-June format which allows students to remain on their academic schedules.

The next pair of officers exhibits unbridled energy, resulting in a great number of new programs. The 1976-1977 Jerry Compton/Robert Rosenfeld team (SCI-ARC and University of California-Berkeley, respectively), demonstrates creativity and clarity of vision. Their most notable achievements include solidifying the ASC/AIA growing accounting operations, holding the first design competition, publishing the magazine Telesis (which becomes Crit the next year--a name coined by Rosenfeld) and establishing student representation on the IDP Coordinating Committee. Crit celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2006.

The following year, Rosenfeld continues on as vice president, with Charles Guerin (of the University of Houston) taking the helm as president. These two officers start many current traditions: initiating the first ASC/AIA Chapter Honor Award and publishing the first issues of Crit, the student architectural magazine. They also hold perhaps the most unusual competition to date, which concludes with the construction of a hot air balloon that is then launched over the Pacific Ocean.

In 1978 came the team of John Jeronimo (University of Miami) and Mary Beth Permar (Clemson University and The University of Illinois). Their major accomplishments include the continuation and improvement of Crit from a magazine format to a true architectural journal; increasing the size of the Board of Directors to include the FORUM Chair and Crit Editor; and taking the overall operating budget of the ASC/AIA over the $100,000 mark for the first time in history. Jeronimo and Permar also set in motion the largest national design competition to date, the first McDonald's Competition, which includes over 650 entries. Only the Vietnam Memorial Design Competition draws more entries.

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(1) The first Forum is held in November 1955 at the Octagon in Washington, DC and the student delegates elected leaders to represent them. This annual event is strictly a governance meeting (just for the student chapter representatives). NASA also hosts an annual convention (the first in November 1958), which is usually held in conjunction with the AIA Convention. However, governance issues are discussed at each convention. In 1960, the meeting minutes of the student board of directors report the exploration of separating the activities so that "business would transpire...at the Forum, thus permitting the Convention time to be devoted more to the topic of architecture itself." Today, the AIAS still organizes Forum and it is the sole annual convention of the association.
(2) It was not until 1985 that the student organization was incorporated as a separate entity from the AIA. Until then, the students were considered members of the AIA and were serviced by the various departments of that organization. The AIA also provides significant funding to support the group's activities.