AAUW College/University Membership: Frequently Asked Questions
What are the criteria for AAUW college/university membership?
What does it cost to join AAUW as a C/U member?
What are the terms and acronyms related to C/U relationships?
What are the benefits?
What are my responsibilities as a C/U member?
How do I make the most of a C/U membership?
What is a C/U chair?
Can only C/U members host AAUW student organizations?
How can I find out which colleges and universities in my state are members?
What are the criteria for AAUW college/university membership?
Any accredited higher education institution in the United States or other qualified higher educational institution outside the United States, as determined by the AAUW Board of Directors, that pays annual dues to AAUW shall be eligible to be a college/university member.
What does it cost to join AAUW as a C/U member?
Annual membership extends from July 1 through June 30. AAUW college/university membership annual fees are $175, regardless of institution size. Dues received after March 16 will be applied to the next fiscal year.
What are the terms and acronyms related to college/university relationships?
You can review a list of terms and acronyms here.
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What are the benefits?
Undergraduates or degree-seeking graduates enrolled in full-time or part-time programs at member schools may join AAUW and renew at no cost with automatic renewal through graduation.
Other benefits include
- Priority for educational project grants and leadership development opportunitiesfor students
- Institutional visibility on our list of college/university members
- Up to two free AAUW national memberships for faculty or administrators (see
- Advocacy for federal public policy that supports education
- Cost-saving discounts
- Ability to list your employment opportunities in the AAUW career center
- Access to AAUW internships in Washington, D.C., for your students
- Opportunities for faculty to participate in national selection panelsfor prestigious awards
- Access for staff and faculty to use AAUW Programs in a Boxto supplement teaching and programming
What are my responsibilities as a C/U member?
When your school becomes an AAUW college/university member, we ask that
- You appoint up to two C/U representatives
- We recommend a dean of students; women’s studies director; science, technology, engineering, or mathematics program director; or nontraditional student services director. Your appointed representatives should be in positions with lots of student or program contact.
- Each C/U representative receives a free AAUW national membership and can vote in AAUW elections on behalf of your school.
- The people who fill the C/U representative role
- Respond to and initiate communications with AAUW at national, state, and branch levels
- Disseminate AAUW membership, program, and resource information to your students, faculty, and staff
- Inform undergraduates and degree-seeking graduates enrolled in full-time or part-time programs about the benefits of joining AAUW
- Inform students about the benefits of participating in the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders, Campus Action Projects, Start Smart, and other initiatives (AAUW will work with you to find the best way to do this for your school)
- Inform the AAUW national office of new contact information when it changes for the C/U representative
For more information, please see the college/university representative position description.
How do I make the most of an AAUW C/U membership?
There are a variety of ways to make sure your school is making the most of its membership with AAUW.
- Read and share Campus Connections, a newsletter especially for our college/university members. It keeps you informed of critical student program deadlines, offers examples of how other schools are engaging with AAUW, and provides important AAUW updates.
- Promote student memberships (including free membershipsfor all your undergraduates and degree-seeking graduates enrolled in full-time or part-time programs) to your students.
- Make sure that your school assigns up to two college/university representatives. Each representative receives free national membership to AAUW (valued at $59). Not sure if your campus has a college/university representative? Contact AAUW at leadership@aauw.org.
- Work with local AAUW branch member leaders to collaborate on a program, and connect your students to positive female mentors! Find out more about a branch near you!
- Bring an AAUW campus leadership programor opportunity to your school!
- Send four or more students to the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders(NCCWSL) and receive a 15 percent discount on registration fees (students can also apply for national or local scholarships for NCCWSL).
- Sign up to be a Two-Minute Activistto learn more about AAUW public policy and how you can make your voice heard.
- Be sure to take advantage of discounts offered to members by checking our membership benefitsbefore making any purchases!
- Stay connected with AAUW on social media through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
- Contact AAUW staff with any questions! Call 800.326.AAUW or email leadership@aauw.org!
What is a C/U chair?
A C/U chair is a branch or state AAUW officer responsible for coordinating C/U outreach and programs. This person serves as a local link between AAUW and the C/U representative. Not all states or branches have C/U chairs but it is recommended to help facilitate C/U relationships.
Can only C/U members host AAUW student organizations?
Students at a college or university who want to form an official AAUW student organization do not need to be at a member campus.
How can I find out which colleges and universities in my state are members?
See the list of college/university members and search alphabetically or by state.
Questions? Call 800.326.AAUW (2289) or email leadership@aauw.org.