:: From The President
:: Austin Conference Resources Available on IDEC Website

  
  

Discussion on the IDEC Graduate Education Position Paper at the Conference
Attached you will find the final version of the white paper on Graduate Education, written by a task force chaired by John Weigand and included Candy Carmel-Gilfilen, Shauna Corry, Sarajane Eisen, Buie Harwood, Aditi Hirani, Lynn Jones, Melinda LaGarce, Bridget May and Virginia North. The paper looks at several aspects of our current structured graduate education system and makes some suggestions for the future. This paper will be the subject of the Fellows Forum (Thursday morning) at the Austin Conference. A panel of IDEC Fellows, task force members and outside practitioners will discuss the paper and its ramifications for design education and the profession. Time will be given for audience interaction. Please read this important paper ahead of the Fellows Forum if at all possible.

Fellows Forum materials to print and bring to conference:
Cover letter from Allison Carll-White
White Paper on Graduate Education

POTENTIAL TOWN HALL DISCUSSION:
Town Hall is an open forum for discussion of anything of interest to the membership. The following are a couple of areas of concern that face our membership:

• Use of term "Interior Architecture"
  An initiative spearheaded by ASID at the Issues Forum meeting in Louisville in November 2006, was the issue of the use of the terms “interior architect” and “interior architecture”. Obviously, there are some IDEC members who teach within an “Interior Architecture” program or department. I think it important that a discussion on this matter be held. The Town Hall at the Austin conference seems a likely venue.
   
  Below is the initial statement issued by ASID and below it the response statement from IIDA. This may help generate discussion, if the membership finds this of importance.
    
  "The American Society of Interior Designers - ASID, as an association dedicated to the advancement of its members and of the interior design profession, does not endorse the use of the terms "interior architect" or "interior architecture" except as these terms may apply to those members, colleagues or partners who by education, experience and legal recognition are entitled to practice the profession of architecture.
    
  The use of the term "interior architecture" is confusing to the public, students and practitioners when used to describe the practice of interior design."
    
  and….
    
  “ The International Interior Design Association Board of Directors has discussed the position statement on usage of the terms “interior architecture” and “interior architect”. We view this matter as one of critical importance to the Association, our Members and to the profession, and feel that we must conduct appropriate due diligence amongst our Chapter Leaders and our colleagues and Members in academia and in design firms before fully committing the Association to a position, at this point in time.
    
  Clearly, the legislative (as related to licensing, specifically) and legal implications related to this matter are of great concern, as well. The Association and its Board feel that we have not fully ascertained the breadth of information available on this topic, and we are conducting a more extensive evaluation on how the terms are being defined, employed and utilized.
    
  We are in full agreement with the American Society of Interior Designers that the usage of the above-referenced terms is indeed confusing to the public, students and practitioners, and that consideration of this matter by all stakeholder groups represents a defining moment in the continuing evolution of the profession of Interior Design.”
    
• Future of Poster Presentations
  Another topic that bears some discussion is where the membership would like to go in relation to having posters presented at the conference. There were many years where we had a roomful of entries, but in recent years 3 or 4 accepted posters has been the rule. Is this an obsolete means of communication for design education, or do parameters need to be changed to encourage more participation?

Again, Town Hall is an open forum for discussion of anything of interest to the membership. There have been some very lively sessions in past conferences, and Conference 2007 Town Hall might clearly have that same spirit!

BASKETS FOR THE IDEC AUCTION
Please try and organize a basket of “goodies” to be raffle at the Thursday night reception at the conference. We also have several large items to be live auctioned. This was a long-standing IDEC tradition that is being brought back, and your participation is critical for its success. Think “outside the box” on your basket contents. Simply drop off your basket at the registration desk at the conference when you arrive.

To ship your auction items or baskets to the Hilton Austin use the following address format:

Mr (fill in your name here)
Hilton Austin
500 East 4th Street
Austin, TX 78701
Phone: 512-482-8000
Hold For Arrival: MONTH DATE YEAR
Conference: IDEC (Interior Design Educators Council)

The entire IDEC Board of Directors, Staff and Conference Coordinators are very much looking forward to seeing you in Austin… very shortly!

Eric Wiedegreen
IDEC President 2006-2007
  
  

http://www.idec.org/conferences/2007.html

Go to our Website for information that you will want to read and perhaps print off and bring to our conference in Austin. Read the White Paper on Graduate Education that is the topic of The Fellows Forum on your flight to Austin. Take a look at the proposed By Law changes that will be voted on at the Annual Business Meeting on Saturday. Additional information will be added as we near the conference.

Onsight Registration Available
The IDEC Registration Desk will be located on the 6th Floor in the front of the Hilton Ballrooms. Staff & Volunteers will be available to serve you during open registration hours. Registration for the Conference is now limited to onsite registration. Registration Desk hours have been extended on Wednesday March 7th to 7:15 PM.

Opening Reception @ UT Austin
The venue for the Wednesday night Opening Reception is on the Campus of The University of Texas at Austin and will feature an architechural exhibition entitled Fake Estates by Martin Hogue and light desert fare. You will want to eat dinner prior to attending the reception. Transportation has been arranged to shuttle attendees to and from the lobby of the Hilton Austin and UT@Austin from 6:00 PM until 10:00 PM. Students from UT will accompany you on the shuttles as well as providing a short historical tour of the campus as they lead you to the reception area.

Guest Speakers
Our guest Keynote Speaker Bryan Bell and Endnote Speaker Sam David are anxious an prepared to address the IDEC membership on the Theme of the conference, “Design & Social Justice.” Each will be prepared for a Q & A time following their presentation.

Open Pre-conference Workshop Opportunities
There will be an opportunity to register for any of the workshops offered on Wednesday March 7th on site. Open workshops include:

Workshop on Color Renderings Offered
Effective Techniques for Success in Teaching & Learning Color Rendering and Sketches
Wednesday, March 7, 8:00 am- 5:30 pm
Cost: $199 (include free book -$49.95 value & lunch)
Presenter: Professor Wei Dong, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Professor Wei Dong is nationally known in design visualization and communication. He has presented many papers in nation and international conferences and has been invited to give a demonstration on color rendering with Frank Ching, Kirby Lockard, and Mike Dove during the Design Communication annual conference. He has given solo exhibits, presentations on both manual and digital media for design visualization, and provided sketching and rendering workshops for over twenty universities nationwide, including Cornell University, Colorado State University, University of Kentucky, and Virginia Tech, etc. His books entitled, “Color Rendering For Interior/Architectural Design: Concept, Exploration and Process” (1998) and “Computer Visualization: An Integrated Approach for Interior Design and Architecture” (1999) have been published by McGraw Hill

Conference Tours still available
Saturday Tours include a visit to the Charles Moore House and an opportunity to go horseback riding at White Fences Equestrian Center (site of the annual banquet). While the tour of the Charles Moore House is full, there is still room for a few more adventurers to go horseback riding. Sign up at the registration desk when you arrive. Please note - departure for the horseback riding experience from the lobby of the Hilton has been changed to 3:00 PM on Saturday afternoon.

Annual Awards Banquet Information
The 2007 Annual Awards Banquet will take place a the White Fences Equestrian Center and the dress will be jeans along with your best cowboy/cowgirl duds. Your boots will get dusty. This will be a banquet you will remember for ages!! Bus Transportation will be provided from the lobby of the Hilton Austin at 6:00 PM on Saturday March 10th. Look for our Student Guides from the University of Texas at Austin that will accompany you. Those touring the Charles Moore House Tour will go straight to the banquet from their visit. At the conclusion of the banquet, you will enjoy a short ride back to the Hilton by bus.

IDEC Network Breakfast Meetings scheduled
Below is a list of the IDEC Network links provided for you to connect with your area of special interest. All of these networks will be meeting either on Thursday morning or Saturday morning of the Conference. Please refer to your onsite brochure for time and place.

Distance Learning Network: idecdl-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Diversity Network: idecdivntwk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Environmentally Responsible Design Network: idecerdntwk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Graduate Education Network: idecgradntwk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
History and Theory Network: idechtntwk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Lighting Network: idecltngntwk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Program Chairs Network: idecpcntwk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Computer Network: ideccomntwk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Continuing Education Network: ideccentwk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
International Member Assistance Network: idecintlntwk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Research and Scholarly Activity Network: idecrsantwk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Social Justice Network: idecsjn-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
2 & 3 Year Programs Network: idec23yrntwk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Sponsors & Exhibitors on site
A host of industry suppliers, manufacturers, and institutions are anxious to communicate with you at the conference. We will have two special opportunities to connect with each of them beside the exhibit hours on Thursday from 1:00 PM until 5:00 PM. The Thursday night reception (full hordevoure fare), and the Meet the Exhibitors Breakfast (continental offering) will take place in the Salon H with the Exhibitors and Sponsors present. A free registration to the 2008 Montreal Conference will be given out at the Town Hall meeting to one lucky member who has visited with our exhibitors. Come and enjoy the food and the networking opportunities.