Step 1: Classification of Membership
Voting members must
- Work in a Canadian post-secondary educational setting on full-time or part-time basis
- Meet all or most of the following essential characteristics:
- Fosters respectful, fair and equitable policies, practices and treatment of individuals;
- Functions independently of the administrative structures of the institution and of the staff, faculty and student associations;
- Operates in an impartial and objective manner;
- Respects confidentiality;
- Provides information, advice and intervention; investigates or informally resolves complaints through access to persons, records, files and information;
- Recommends on individual and systemic issues without decision-making authority to implement the recommendations;
- Reports publicly or issues an annual report to the authority designated in the terms of reference of the office
- Voting members are eligible for the following:
- Voting rights at ACCUO Annual General Meetings;
- Running for executive office in the association e.g. President, Treasurer; \
- Participation in the confidential forums of discussion;
- Attendance at sponsored events e.g. mid-year meetings
- Annual conferences;
- Mentoring relationships
Associate Members
- Work in an educational institution (post-secondary, high school or primary levels) on a full-time or part-time basis without meeting the essential characteristics for a voting membership
- Are affiliated with entities other than Canadian post-secondary educational institutions
- Are interested in the ombuds profession but are not currently practicing in the field
- Associate member are eligible for the following:
- Attendance at ACCUO annual conferences,
- Occasional workshops,
- Consultations with the Executives;
- Mentoring relationships.
Institutional Member
- An office providing Ombudsperson services in a post-secondary educational institutions in Canada in accordance with the characteristics included above for voting members. Advantageous for offices of 3 or more people.
- Institution Members are eligible for the following: same as for voting members, but limited to one vote.
Honorary Members
- Members who were awarded the ACCUO Distinguished Service Award