Ethical question regarding architects

[ian]

Many architects have joined societies that honour a past architect. They like other society members, they want to see the work preserved and protected (that is why they have joined). The difference between them and other members is that they also receive fees for their restoration/renovation efforts on courses designed by the same architect.

Can an architect serve the board of an architect's Society? Is there a massive conflict of interest to have more than a (financially) supportive role?

Before anyone reads anything into this, it is just a question coming from attending a general meeting.

[Mike_Sweeney]

IMHO, no problem as long as it is disclosed, and it is not prevented in the charter or by-laws of the society. It is the board's decision to either have or not have fee paid professionals on the board.

[Neal_Meagher]

I think that it is possible for most architects to be included in the organizations you mention without a fear of conflict of interest.  In my experience, most architects, while not 100% altruistic, share a love, respect for what came before and desire to see the profession furthered.

Still, it does come down to the architect himself and what his motivations are.  That usually comes out pretty clearly after an encounter or two.

Just as most of us find that the game itself brings very disparate individuals together in the most unlikely of circumstances sometimes, so it is with the groups you refer to.  Simply put, as the folks who attended the recent GCA gathering in New Mexico found out, golf is like the egg yolk that holds a cake batter together.  By that, I mean that this game engenders a fellowship unlike almost any other.

So, don't feel like the architects you refer to are in it for anything else than a respect for the game and to help it go in a positive direction forward.

For the most part.................................

[Jeff_Brauer]

Ian,

I agree with Neal, that there is no conflict of interest.  There could be some interesting situations, though, if a member of a Ross Society, for example, was interviewed at a Ross club that wished to totally redo the style of the course.  

Now, I assume he would present his credentials, and a plan for at least sympathetic renovation.  If the club was intent on blowing it out, they would probably retain someone else with similar ideas.  

The borderlline area would be if he accepted a job to blow out a Ross.  I can think of justifications for it - new highways require reconfiguration, already been changed, no documentation, etc. come to mind - that may make it acceptable in his mind to take the project under those conditions, but if I were he/she, I wouldn't want to attend the next meeting of the Ross Society, nor sit on their board!

[Patrick_Mucci]

Ian Andrew,

I don't know that I agree with your conclusion on why they joined, but, I do feel that the potential for a conflict of interest exists.

I think the architects may put themselves in a conflicting situation by accepting a position on the Board.

General membership would seem to be the prudent way to go.  

[Tom_Doak]

I would have to agree with Patrick on this one.

All these Societies have policies that say they will not recommend an architect for consulting work ... but putting an architect on the Board is awfully close to a recommendation, isn't it?

[ian]

Tom,

Excellent Point, I agree, an architect has no place on a board. As much as I would like to help the societies I am involved with, I keep wondering what the hell that line is.
So far I have stuck to providing historical pictures and helping make contacts, but where is that line.

[the old man]

i agree that having an architect sit on the board of a society could certainly give the appearance of a conflict of interest.

i am surprised by tom's statement that societies have a policy of not recommending an architect for consulting.  i have been involved in two instances of giving a club a list of architects who have done work on courses done by their original designer.  i do not see a problem with that type of a referral--when asked by a club wanting to know who has had experience with  courses of similar origin, in terms of original architect.