Membership Policies

Eligibility

No individual shall be denied membership in the Consortium if they meet the eligibility requirements. Eligibility is open to:

  • Any professional staff, faculty, or graduate student at an institution of higher education or individuals and organizations working towards improving campus climate and services for communities across the spectrum of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression;
  • Supports the mission of the Consortium;
  • Meets the qualifications for either Practitioner or Affiliate Membership (see below for definitions of membership type);
  • Completes an application for membership; AND
  • Remits appropriate dues.

Membership Type

There are two types of Consortium Membership:

  • Practitioner Members 
  • Affiliate Members.

Practitioner Membership

Practitioner Members fit into the three categories listed below. All Practitioner Members receive full voting privileges with the organization.

Individual Practitioner Member
Individual Practitioner Members are professional staff members or graduate students who work at least 50% time (i.e., 20 hours per week). These Practitioner members have job descriptions that specifically include primary responsibility for providing LGBT services and/or support although it may include other responsibilities. 

Institutional Practitioner Member
Any institution that has at least one Individual Practitioner on campus is eligible for an Institutional Practitioner Membership. The primary contact for the Institutional Practitioner membership MUST meet the definition of an Individual Practitioner. In addition, the primary contact can appropriate up to five (5), ten (10), or fifteen (15) individual memberships to be designated as Practitioner, Emeritus Practitioner, or Affiliate member. The primary contact designates additional members as Practitioner, Emeritus Practitioner, or Affiliate members based on the membership dues amount (see below). The category of each membership will be determined by the primary contact for the institution, but must be based on the definition of Practitioner and Affiliate members. Institutional Practitioner memberships must be funded by the institution.

Emeritus Practitioner Member
Emeritus Members are individuals who previously were Practitioner Members and whose professional work no longer fits the eligibility of practitioner member.

NOTE: There may be circumstances in which, individuals who do not meet these requirements can be given Practitioner Member status. These exceptions must be approved by the Membership Chair and the Co-Chairs. In the case where the member falls under an Institutional Membership, the primary contact of that Institutional Membership must also be consulted.


Affiliate Membership

Affiliate Members are individuals, institutions or organizations who have a vested interest in supporting  communities across the spectrum of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression in higher education. Affiliate Members may be Individual Affiliates or Organization Affiliates.

Individual Affiliate Member
Individual Affiliate Members are staff, faculty, or graduate students at an institution of higher education whose professional work supports or complements that of the Consortium and does not fit the definition of Practitioner.

Organization Affiliate Member
Organization Affiliate Members are individuals who do not work at an institution of higher education but whose professional work supports or complements that of the Consortium.

Membership Rights and Responsibilities

Practitioner Member: All members shall act in accordance with all published procedures of the Consortium. Practitioner membership rights and responsibilities include, but are not be limited to, the following:

  • Institutional Practitioner Members must have a primary contact whose role on campus is to support LGBT people on campus and provide direct support and services for LGBT people. This person will receive a Practitioner Membership. In addition, the primary contact can appropriate up to five (5) individual memberships to be designated as Practitioner or Affiliate members. The decision of each membership will be made by the Primary Contact for the institution, but must be made based on the definition of Practitioner and Affiliate Members.
  • Members are requested to attend all scheduled meetings of the full membership as often as possible.
  • Members shall be respectful of the rights of all other members and consent to the "Agreements of Consortium Membership" (see Appendix II).
  • Regardless of the type of membership, each person is afforded one vote.
  • Practitioner Members are listed in the online Public Directory and have access to Membership Services as listed on the website.
  • Practitioner Members are given full access to the Practitioner Member Listserv and may request access to the Affiliate Member Listserv.

Affiliate Member: All members shall act in accordance with all published procedures of the Consortium. Affiliate membership rights and responsibilities include, but are not be limited to, the following:

  • Members are requested to attend all scheduled meetings of the full membership as often as possible.
  • Members shall be respectful of the rights of all other members and consent to the "Agreements of Consortium Membership" (see Appendix II).
  • Affiliate Members do not hold voting privileges and are not listed in the Public Directory
  • Affiliates Members have access to Membership Services as listed on the website
  • Affiliate Members are given full access to the Affiliate Member Listserv.
  • Individual Affiliate Members have access to the regional listserv in the region in which they are geographically located. 

Suspension or Termination of Membership

The Executive Board may suspend or terminate membership if someone no longer meets the guidelines for a Practitioner or Affiliate Member and/or is in gross violation of organizational policies and procedures. Dues will not be refunded due to suspension or termination of membership.

Any member deemed by the Board to be acting in a way that jeopardizes the mission of the Consortium may have their membership revoked by rules of modified consensus. Any member whose membership has been revoked will receive written notification from the Board. Upon receipt of such notification, all rights and privileges of membership in the Consortium shall be considered suspended. Membership revocation decisions by the Board may be appealed at a general membership meeting. The full membership shall have the authority to override the decision by the Board to revoke membership by majority vote.

Dues

Individual Practitioner or Affiliate Membership dues are:

  • $50 for an Individual Practitioner or Affiliate membership,
  • $250 for an Institutional Practitioner or Affiliate membership with 6 total members,
  • $450 for an Institutional Practitioner or Affiliate membership with 11 total members,
  • $650 for an Institutional Practitioner or Affiliate membership with 16 total members.

 

The Consortium is committed to the inclusion of any eligible Individual or Institutional Practitioner Member and will not turn away an eligible member due to an inability to pay the full membership amount. A discounted rate may be utilized if deemed appropriate by the Organizational Operations Collective and/or the Internal or External Coordinator. Please contact the Organizational Operations Collective for more information.

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