The following criteria will be considered in determining membership in the Washington Higher Education Secretariat:
- The organization serves, through membership, postsecondary institutions and/or organizations of postsecondary institutions, and/or of professionals associated with postsecondary institutions.
- The mission of the organization must demonstrate how it would contribute to and actively engage in the work of the Secretariat.
- The organization must normally have a minimum of 50 member institutions and/or 5,000 individual members and have a paid chief executive officer who can represent the association and its members.
- The organization influences national and/or international policy issues for its members.
- The organization holds federal tax-exempt status and does not engage in activities that could adversely impact the reputation and work of the Secretariat or other Secretariat member organizations.
- The organization is a member of ACE (any category).
- The organization has a significant presence or engagement with policy makers in the Washington, DC area.
- The organization’s CEO commits to actively participate and engage in the work of the Secretariat including regular attendance at in-person and virtual meetings and, as applicable to the mission of the organization, joint advocacy efforts.
- As part of the application process, the prospective member must provide letters of nomination from five Secretariat CEOs referencing how the organization would contribute to work of the Secretariat.
- Members must pay annual dues which cover speaker travel, monthly meetings and the annual retreat, compensation survey and expenses.