Membership Categories & Dues

There are two main membership categories:

• Institutional: college, university, government agency, accrediting agency, foundation, non-profit, or not-for profit organization
• Corporate: for-profit business or consultancy

Within each category, a member may join as an individual, or as part of a group at a reduced dues rate per person.

Membership begins the month in which payment is received and lasts for one year. For example, a membership processed on March 7, 2014 will expire on March 31, 2015.

All members are assigned to one of five geographic regions: Mid-Atlantic, North Atlantic, North Central, Pacific, or Southern. Dues include both national and regional affiliations. 

Dues rates are subject to change every October 1.

Membership Types

Individual Membership

One person who works for a college, university, government agency, accrediting agency, foundation, non-profit, not-for profit organization, for-profit business, or consultancy. This membership is:

• Owned by the individual
• Non-transferable
• Non-refundable
• For a period of one year

Group Membership

A group of individual members who work for the same institutional or corporate organization. The organization itself is not a member. This membership is:

• Owned by the organization, not by the individuals named as members of the group
• Transferable (the organization can add or subtract anyone from their group during the one-year period of the membership)
• Non-refundable
• For a period of one year

For institutional groups in the United States, the membership type is based on total enrollment as published in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).

For corporate groups, the membership type is based on the choice of a small (three members) or large (six members) group.

The "main contact" of a group is a member of the group, identifies and approves all group members, and receives all dues notices.

An "add on" member is an individual who has been added on to an institutional or corporate group membership over and above the usual number of memberships offered in that group. Dues are per person and non-refundable.

Retired Membership

An individual who is 1) age 65 or older, and 2) no longer employed full time. This membership is:

• Owned by the individual
• Non-transferable
• Non-refundable
• For a period of one year

Graduate Student Membership

A graduate student enrolled (at the time of application) at a postsecondary institution. Student membership requires proof of enrollment or a letter from the faculty advisor confirming work on a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation, and must be approved by the director of member relations. This membership is:

• Owned by the individual
• Non-transferable
• Non-refundable
• For one year

Special Benefit for Institutional Groups

Colleges and universities with group memberships can send anyone from their campus—including nonmember faculty, staff, and students—to SCUP conferences and events at the member rate. Other member benefits (such as access to the membership directory, database of higher education institutional plans, and free books and publications) are limited to the individuals specifically named in the institutional group membership.

DUES