Call to Action: Opposition to Proposed Federal Policy

AIA Atlanta Joins AIA National and NOMA National in Opposition to Proposed Changes to Federal Policy Related to Student Loans

Many members have contacted AIA Atlanta leadership about the U.S. Department of Education’s (DOE) proposal for new rules related to federal student lending, and asked us – as a local AIA chapter – to respond.

The DOE has recently proposed a new policy that would limit loans to graduate level students who are not in a pre-approved list of “professional” degrees.   Architects would not be included in the category for professional degrees under the proposed policy (nor would teachers, accountants, financial advisors, nurses, or landscape architects).  AIA Atlanta stands in opposition to any federal, state, or local policy that fails to recognize architects as professionals, which devalues their rigorous education and licensing requirements, and the important role that the profession plays in protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the general public.

Moreover, lowering this loan cap will reduce the number and diversity of students who can afford to pursue an architecture degree.  AIA Atlanta has been a strong advocate for more diversity in the profession, and this policy would erect a new barrier.   Additionally, this policy would harm the firms in our profession by making it more difficult to attract talent and build businesses around responsible and equitable design practices.  Finally, this policy would hamstring the efforts of our local schools of architecture to attract and graduate the most talented design minds.

We encourage our members to stay engaged with this issue, and support the actions taken by AIA National and the National Organization of Minority Architects.  You can find AIA’s member briefing here, and NOMA’s here.   Here is what you can do right now:

• Write your members in the federal House of Representatives and Senate, urging them to push the DOE to adhere to its own history and classify architecture as a profession. You can find the contact info for your elected officials at https://open.pluralpolicy.com/find_your_legislator/
• Prepare for the DOE public comments period in early 2026, which you can learn more about here on the AIA briefing page. The period will open when the proposed rule is posted on the Federal Register.  AIA Atlanta will notify you as soon as we learn more.

Marc Johnson                              Laura Morton                                     Shelby Morris

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