The Association of College Administration Professions includes members from various areas of college administration. Members range from vice presidents of various departments -- such as academic affairs or student services -- to directors of housing, college unions, student activities and other departments. The association publishes a monthly eight-page newsletter, which is distributed to members, about trends and innovations in higher education. The organization offers workshops to members about various aspects of working as a college administrator. It publishes job listings for vacancies in various fields, collecting and distributing about 30 listings a month to their members.
The National Association of Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education is for student affairs personnel who work as administrators to unify the student body and develop student life outside of the classroom. The organization has 11,000 members on 1,400 campuses around the world, as of 2011. The association offers publications, but also works to provide members with various professional development initiatives through workshops and its website. Members include professionals in various roles in student affairs departments, from the dean for student life to members of the residential life department.
The Association of College & University Policy Administrators, or ACUPA, focuses on members who serve their schools in a policy-formation role. These members usually include professionals like the provost and president of various universities, though there are no formal membership requirements to join. ACUPA hosts several conferences, but mostly operates through conference calls among members, aiming for three each year to discuss policies and other issues among universities. An informal organization, the ACUPA works to help administrators shape their evolving institutions.
One of the older college administrator associations, The American Association of University Administrators was founded in 1970 as a professional organization. This association includes members from all levels of the university hierarchy, from presidents to department chairmen. The membership numbers around 500 as of 2011, and spans several countries. The AAUA not only works to develop the professional careers of members, but also works to establish ethical standards for the administrators and member institutions throughout higher education.