Board adopts new seal as land surveyors join consolidated board; staff to notify registrants

The Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners voted June 4 to adopt a new official board seal and discussed bylaw edits tied to the consolidation that will include land surveyors effective July 1.

Staff canvassed board members and two of three land-surveyor representatives; design option #1 was the clear favorite in a poll and a motion to adopt that design passed on a voice vote. Board staff said they will issue an email notice to registrants explaining the statutory name change and the downstream effect on wall certificates and seals.

Board members also reviewed proposed bylaws edits to add land surveyors consistently across committee descriptions, outreach committee membership, and chair-rotation language. The committee discussed whether to explicitly add land surveyors to chair rotation or to insert flexible language allowing committee chairs to add members based on need. Members favored adding clarifying language that committee chairs may add board members to committees when appropriate to ensure operational flexibility.

Why it matters: The adoption of a single board seal and the consolidation of land surveyors with architects and engineers alter official branding and administrative practice for thousands of registrants; staff and registrants will need to update certificates, seals, and outreach materials.

What’s next: Staff to blast notice to registrants and coordinate contractor and code-enforcement outreach; the bylaws committee will produce final redlines for review before full-board adoption in August.