The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation announced today that, at its Dec. 5 Board meeting, it approved a possible path towards independent incorporation of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture. The Foundation Board’s decision has been embraced and approved by the School of Architecture Board of Governors and representatives of alumni and the broader school community.
In order to meet critical fundraising goals that will allow it to achieve the financial autonomy necessary to become an independent organization, the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture is immediately launching the Campaign for Independence – to raise $2 million before the end of 2015.
Providing one of the most notable educational experiences in the country, the School’s professional M.Arch degree program offers graduate students hands-on, design-intensive studio experiences within the immersive educational communities of Taliesin West (Scottsdale, Arizona) and Taliesin (Spring Green, Wisconsin). This past year saw the highest number of new students in the School’s history, 100% student retention for the third consecutive year, and the launch a “Teaching Fellowship” program that has added five distinguished international architectural educators and practitioners to the School’s teaching ranks.
Despite its recent successes, as was previously reported, accreditation for the School is threatened because the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) changed its by-laws, resulting in an expectation that the Foundation retain ultimate financial responsibility for the School while simultaneously ceding governance, financial, and operational control to a separate, autonomous organization. After two years of exploration and debate, the Foundation Board concluded that it could not agree to guarantee funding to an autonomous School to the level it would need to thrive without retaining ultimate control or decision-making authority, particularly given its responsibility to find funding for tens of millions of dollars (at least) in critically needed preservation work in the coming years and for the other critical components of the Foundation’s mission.
Following that determination, longtime supporters of the School suggested the possibility of raising substantial funds to create and support an independent School. The Foundation Board readily agreed that, if the School community can raise funds sufficient to demonstrate that the new organization would have “its own financial resources” (as explicitly required by the HLC’s by-laws) then spinning off the School would not present the same obstacles. The new, independent school organization would take ultimate fiduciary responsibility for itself.
As part of the new structure, the Foundation would donate over $1 million in facilities-related cash expenses every year, related to the School’s extensive use of Taliesin West and Taliesin as its campuses (at no cost to the School). The Foundation would also contribute an additional subsidy of $580,000 to the School in 2015, with decreasing levels of such additional transitional support over the next five years (but always continuing to cover 100% of annual facility-related expenses of well over $1 million).
“If the School community can successfully raise this $2 million,” said Jeffrey Grip, Chair of the Foundation Board of Trustees the Foundation, “the Foundation will proudly and enthusiastically commit to independently raising funds to match that giving 3.5 to 1, with support of more than $7 million over the next five years.”
In order to achieve the desired independence and continue as a stand-alone School of Architecture, gifts and pledges for an initial $1 million in contributions must be received by March 27, 2015 – and gifts/pledges for a second million must be received by Dec. 31, 2015.
“There is an exceptionally bright future possible for the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture,” said Maura Grogan, Chair of the School’s Board of Governors. “But that future is only possible with the generous support of donors, right now. Without significant and immediate support, there will no longer be a stand-alone accredited Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture. This campaign is the only opportunity to save the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture as we know it – and to ensure its success and impact for decades to come. I urge people to join us in this critical endeavor.”
Related Stories
| Jun 5, 2014
International Parking Institute names best new parking structures
Winners include garages that are architectural delights, an airport's canopied parking atrium, and an environmentally friendly garage under America's oldest park.
| Jun 4, 2014
Emerging trends in healthcare development: neighborhood care, mixed-use models on the rise
In urban and even suburban markets, real estate is about the "live, work, play," with close proximity to mass transit and other amenities, like retail stores. Healthcare organizations are following suit.
| Jun 4, 2014
Want to design a Guggenheim? Foundation launches open competition for proposed Helsinki museum
This is the first time the Guggenheim Foundation has sought a design through an open competition. Anonymous submissions for stage one of the competition are due September 10, 2014.
| Jun 4, 2014
Market update: A difficult first quarter for construction spending comes to an end
This year's unusually difficult winter took its toll on construction activity. Nonetheless, first quarter spending for all the major groups was up compared to the same period in 2013.
| Jun 4, 2014
Construction team named for Atlanta Braves ballpark
A joint venture between Barton Malow, Brasfield & Gorrie, Mortenson Construction, and New South Construction will build the Atlanta Braves ballpark, which is scheduled to open in early 2017. Check out the latest renderings of the plan.
| Jun 3, 2014
Must see: World's tallest LEGO tower built in Budapest
The tower, built in front of St. Stephen's Basilica, is topped with a Rubik's cube and was built using thousands of blocks.
| Jun 3, 2014
Great leadership comes down to one thing
While it’s often said that strong leadership is an organization’s competitive advantage, is there a single characteristic that can predict which leaders will be most effective? SPONSORED CONTENT
| Jun 3, 2014
Libeskind's latest skyscraper breaks ground in the Philippines
The Century Spire, Daniel Libeskind's latest project, has just broken ground in Century City, southwest of Manila. It is meant to accommodate apartments and offices.
| Jun 2, 2014
Registration is open for 2014 BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland Expo and Conference
BUILDINGChicago is a major conference and trade expo serving architects, engineers, contractors, property owners, real estate developers, government officials and community organizations in the Midwest.
| Jun 2, 2014
Nonresidential construction spending expands in April
Ten of 16 nonresidential construction subsectors posted increases in spending in April, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data.