SUBCHAPTER 17. CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
Section
55:10-17-1. Purpose
55:10-17-2. Board responsibilities
55:10-17-3. Noncompliance and Sanctions
55:10-17-4. CEU Requirements
55:10-17-5. Exemptions
55:10-17-6. Computation of Credits
55:10-17-7. General course/program requirements
55:10-17-8. Instructional guidelines
55:10-17-9. Disallowance
55:10-17-10. Registrant responsibilities
55:10-17-11. Biennial Report and affidavit
55:10-17-12. Requirements and responsibilities
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.....Rules Index
55:10-17-1. Purpose
These Rules provide for a continuing education program to insure that all Architects and Landscape Architects licensed in the State remain informed of technical and professional subjects which the Board deems appropriate to professional architectural practice and to safeguard life, health, and promote the public welfare.
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55:10-17-2. Board responsibilities
(a) The Board shall:
(1) Perform audits of Registrants.
(2) Determine if courses address the health, safety and welfare of the public through an audit.
(3) Discipline Registrants, as may be appropriate.
(b) Members of the Board may attend courses for purposes of auditing the content and compliance with this Rule.
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55:10-17-3. Noncompliance and sanctions
The continuing education requirements contained in this Section will apply to every Registrant as a condition for renewal of said license. Failure to fulfill the continuing education requirements, or file the required biennial report and affidavit, properly completed and signed, or to pay all required fees, shall result in non-renewal of an Registrant's certificate of registration. If a license is not renewed for any reason, the Registrant must immediately cease the practice of architecture or landscape architecture. Persons who continue to practice architecture or landscape architecture during the time of license delinquency are subject to the fines, penalties and civil remedies contained in the Act and these Rules.
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55:10-17-4. CEU requirements
(a) Beginning with applications for renewal of licenses which expire on June 30, 2001, each Registrant shall have completed 24 CEU's of acceptable continuing education requirements during the two-year period immediately preceding the biennial renewal date as a condition for license renewal. One CEU shall represent one Contact Hour. No credit will be allowed for introductory remarks, meals, breaks, or business/administration matters related to courses of study.
(b) If the Registrant exceeds the continuing education requirements in any renewal period, the Registrant may carry a maximum of 4 CEU's forward into the subsequent renewal period.
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55:10-17-5. Exemptions
A Registrant may be exempt from participating in the continuing education program required by these Rules for one of the following reasons:
(1) A first-time Registrant by examination or first-time reciprocal Registrant shall be exempt for his/her first renewal period if the first renewal period is less than two years from the original date of licensure. Reciprocal Registrants will be exempt from the requirements of this Subchapter if the Registrant's base or resident state's continuing education requirements are equal to, or exceed, the requirements of this Subchapter. The Registrant shall certify to the Board that the requirements of this Subchapter have been met and shall substantiate same when audited.
(2) A Registrant who has taken emeritus status; said emeritus Registrant must certify to the Board that the Registrant is not currently practicing architecture or landscape architecture. In the event the emeritus Registrant elects to return to active practice, the Registrant shall earn CEU for the current licensing period, not to exceed two (2) years.
(3) A Registrant called to active duty in the armed forces of the United States for a period of time exceeding one hundred and twenty (120) consecutive days during a fiscal year shall be exempt from obtaining the CEU's required during that fiscal year.
(4) A Registrant experiencing physical disability, illness or other extenuating circumstances may request exemption from the continuing education requirements. The Registrant shall provide supporting documentation for the Board's review. Such hardship cases will be considered by the Board on an individual basis.
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55:10-17-6. Computation of credits
Continuing education credits shall be measured in CEUs and shall be computed as follows:
(1) successfully completing one Contact Hour in course work, seminars or making professional or technical presentations at meetings, conventions or conferences shall be the equivalent of one CEU;
(2) teaching or instructing a qualified presentation, approved by the Board, shall constitute two CEUs for each hour spent in the classroom. Teaching credit shall be valid for teaching a course or seminar in its initial presentation only. Teaching credit may be claimed by full-time faculty at a college, university or other educational institution for the initial presentation only and shall be related to health safety, welfare issues only;
(3) authoring a published paper, article, writing a CEU course or a book shall be the equivalent of 24 CEUs (No CEU's will be approved for newspaper or similar news articles);
(4) successfully completing one university semester hour of credit shall be the equivalent of 12 CEUs;
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55:10-17-7. General course/program requirements
(a) All programs and courses are subject to auditing and the Board may disapprove any course not meeting the intended continuing education criteria set forth in this Subchapter.
(b) All courses sponsored by NCARB, CLARB, The American Institute of Architects and the American Society of Landscape Architects will count for the required continuing education requirements if they met the requirements of this Subchapter and the intent of the Board.
(c) Continuing education courses must be at least one Contact Hour in length and meet the topic area guidelines described in this Subchapter.
(d) Continuing education courses will be approved or disapproved by the Board based upon the information presented at the time of audit.
(e) To qualify for continuing education, the course must:
(1) include technical and practical applications which impact public health, safety and welfare and,
(A) maintain, improve, expand or enhance the quality of the existing technical knowledge;
(B) fill voids that may exist in the professional education and internship training; or
(C) develop new and relevant technical profession skills and knowledge.
(2) have clear purposes and objectives;
(3) be well organized, presented in a sequential manner, and provide evidence of pre-planning;
(4) be presented by persons who are well-qualified by education or experience in the field being taught; and
(5) provide individual participant documentation for record keeping and reporting.
(f) Registrants may secure continuing education credit through the following types of programs and courses:
(1) attending professional or technical presentations at meetings, conventions or conferences;
(2) attending in-house programs sponsored by corporations or other organizations;
(3) successfully completing seminars, tutorials, short courses, correspondence courses, televised courses or video-taped courses;
(4) making professional or technical presentations at meetings, conventions or conferences;
(5) teaching or instructing, complying with OAC 55:10-17-6;
(6) authoring published papers, articles or books;
(7) successfully completing college or university sponsored courses; and
(g) Subject content acceptable for purposes of architecture continuing education shall be limited to:
(1) Study of Codes including safety codes, and laws and regulations governing the practice of architecture.
(2) Environmental Issues.
(3) Design proficiency.
(4) Study within planning, engineering, interior design, construction contracting and related disciplines.
(5) Legal aspects of contracts, documents, insurance, bonds, project administration, etc.
(6) Specialization, preservation, adaptive reuse, building types) etc.
(7) Construction Documents and Services.
(8) Materials and Methods.
(9) Mechanical, Plumbing, Electrical and Life Safety.
(10) Structural technology.
(11) Energy efficiency.
(12) Project administration.
(13) Professional ethics.
(14) Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines.
(h) Subject content acceptable for purposes of landscape architecture continuing education shall be limited to:
(1) Study of Codes including safety codes, and laws and regulations governing the practice of Landscape Architect;
(2) Environmental issues;
(3) Design proficiency;
(4) Study within planning, engineering, horticulture, construction contracting and related disciplines;
(5) Legal aspects of contracts, documents, insurance, bonds, project administration, etc.
(6) Specialization in areas of concentration;
(7) Construction documents and sources;
(8) Project administration;
(9) Professional ethics;
(10) Safety guidelines (Playgrounds, trails, etc.);
(11) Herbicide and pesticide use;
(12) ADA Guidelines;
(13) Irrigation system design;
(14) Grading and drainage.
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55:10-17-8. Instructional guidelines
Methods of instruction used for course delivery include, in-person presentation, correspondence and video courses or other learning techniques which may be pre-approved by the Board. Instructional guidelines for the presentation of such course includes the following:
(1) In-person presentation courses must include:
(A) Course presentation and materials,
(B) Question and answer sessions, and
(C) Evaluation.
(2) Correspondence courses must include:
(A) Pre-course instruction book and course materials,
(B) Question and answer (optional),
(C) Evaluation, and
(D) Testing (optional).
(3) Video courses must include:
(A) Pre-course instruction book and course materials,
(B) Lecture,
(C) Question and answer (optional),
(D) Evaluation, and
(E) Testing (optional).
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55:10-17-9. Disallowance
(a) The Board has final authority with respect to approval of courses, credits, and CEUs.
(b) If the Board determines that continuing education credits are to be disallowed, Registrants shall have 90 calendar days after notification to substantiate the original claim or earn other continuing education credits to meet minimum requirements.
(c) Fraud or misrepresentation in certification of course attendance or any other aspect of fulfilling continuing education requirements will be disciplined in accordance with the Act, including revocation or denial of the renewal of a Registrant.
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55:10-17-10. Registrant responsibilities
(a) The Registrant is responsible for retaining proof of participation in continuing education activities. Such verification includes, the following as applicable:
(1) A log showing activity claimed, sponsoring organization, location duration, etc.
(2) Attendance Certificates.
(3) Signed attendance receipts.
(4) Sponsor's list of attendees (signed by a person in responsible charge of the activity).
(b) These records must be retained for a period of four years following the filing of an application for license renewal. Copies shall be furnished to the Board for audit purposes if requested.
(c ) The Registrant must be present for the entire duration of the course for all approved course Contact Hours.
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55:10-17-11. Biennial report and affidavit
(a) Each Registrant, at license renewal, shall submit an affidavit attesting to the Registrant's fulfillment of continuing education requirements during the two years preceding the renewal. Affidavits, with an accompanying report concerning the courses taken by the Registrant to fulfill continuing education requirements, shall be submitted on a form(s) provided by the Board.
(b) Each affidavit shall be reviewed by the Board's staff for completeness, and may be subject to audit for verification of compliance with requirements. Registrants shall retain proof of fulfillment of requirements for a period of four years after submission in the event that the affidavit and report is selected for audit.
(c) The Board may, upon audit for verification of compliance, disallow claimed credit for continuing education. The Registrant shall have 90 calendar days after notification of disallowance of credit to substantiate the original claim or earn other CEU credit which fulfills minimum requirements.
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55:10-17-12. Requirements and responsibilities
(a) The Board has set forth the following criteria which will be reviewed in approving CEU credits:
(1) Subject area expertise of Sponsor and/or instructor(s).
(2) Experience or demonstrated ability in written instructional material and testing.
(3) Experience of Sponsor.
(4) Ability of Sponsor to provide course evaluation forms to participants, if applicable.
(5) Ability of Sponsor to provide reporting certificates or letters to participants.
(b) Courses shall be presented in the format established, including all handouts, scheduling and course content.
(c) The instruction level (either core, intermediate or advance) of courses being advertised, in information sent to Registrants, should be identified. Registrants are encouraged to take programs of intermediate and advanced levels.
(d) Courses are required to issue reporting certificates to Registrants, upon completion of a course. Completion of a course is considered the end of the course. There are no partial credits. Reporting certificates should contain no less than the following information: Participant's name, license number, address, phone number, sponsor name and address, course title, instructor name, number of Contact hours, date course given, sponsor or monitor signature.
(e) Registrants shall maintain a record of all reporting certificates issued for a period of four years following the issuance of same. Sponsors shall maintain security regarding the release of reporting certificates. Duplication or falsification, as-well-as misuse, of reporting certificates may be grounds for disciplinary action against the Registrant.
(f) Courses must issue to attendees seeking continuing education credit, a "Course Evaluation Summary Form." Completed evaluations from each attendee must be retained for four years after the course/program.
(g) Courses shall verify identity of course participants by way of their license, and one form of recognized official photographic identification e.g., passport, driver license, student identification, etc., at both the beginning and end of the course.
(h) Sponsors shall contact Registrants regarding courses. Sponsors are encouraged to publicize their courses whenever and wherever offered. In order to do so, lists of licensed Architects and/or Landscape architects may be secured for a nominal fee from the Board. Applicable fees must be submitted with the request. The Board shall have thirty (30) days from receipt of the request to process same and provide the requested listing.
(i) Registrants cannot claim or obtain partial credit for portions of courses taken. If a Registrant cannot complete the entire course, no credit is to be claimed or approved by the Board.
(j) Sponsors shall monitor all attendees to ensure attendance for complete contact hour credit as follows:
(1) Identify all attendees seeking Board credit.
(2) Provide reasonable times for break and meal recesses.
(3) Review attendance after each break and recess.
(4) Other brief absences or tardiness during a course offering are discouraged, however, if necessary the total of the absence of the attendee from the course contact shall not exceed 10% of the course Contact Hours.
(k) Administrative procedures and introductions shall be limited to no more than 10% of the courses approved Contact Hour credits. Specific course content shall utilize no less than 90% of the course Contact Hours.
(l) It is the responsibility of the Sponsor to offer a course in an environment and atmosphere appropriate to teaching and the course being presented.
