Membership

Classification: Membership in this Association is as follows:

a.  Active

b.  Associate

c.  Affiliate

 


Qualifications for Membership:

a.  Active: Any institution granting or intending to grant an O.D. degree, which has received any accredited status from the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education.

b.  Associate: Non-United States optometry schools that have received any accredited status from the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education.  Non-United States schools meeting the qualifications for membership listed above may elect to be Active Members

c.  Affiliate: Other not-for-profit institutions and government agencies having an educational mission, may apply for affiliate membership. Non-United States optometry schools may apply for affiliate membership. United States optometry schools are not eligible for associate or affiliate membership. 


Election to Membership:
Application for active, associate or affiliate membership must be filed with the ASCO administrative office. Upon adequate proof of qualification of membership and payment of dues, membership is effective.


Termination of Membership for Cause:
Membership in any classification will be automatically terminated upon failure to timely pay dues or the member no longer meets qualifications for membership (i.e., loss of accreditation status). Membership may otherwise be terminated for cause by atwo-thirds majority vote of the Board of Directors, provided written notice of intent to terminate membership shall be given to the member at least 60 days prior to the proposed vote for termination and the member is given the opportunity to respond to the reason(s) proposed for termination.

Participation Policy for Developing Schools and Colleges of Optometry
Developing Schools and Colleges of Optometry that have achieved either the Accreditation Council of Optometric Education’s Stage One or Stage Two Applicant status but not Preliminary Approval Accreditation status are permitted to participate in certain ASCO programs and activities as determined from time to time by policies proposed by ASCO’s Executive Committee and approved by ASCO’s Board of Directors.