Organizational Membership Application Information
(Please take the time to read this information)
The AAUS Organizational Membership (OM) process normally takes about a year to complete. During the first few months of this period the onus is on the OM applicant to provide the Academy the information necessary to process the application. The remainder of this time is required for AAUS to review and approve the application. If after twelve months from the date of online application the applicant has failed to provide the information necessary to process the application, an additional application fee will be required. Organizations are encouraged to review AAUS requirements prior to application to ensure that their program complies with the mission, purpose, goals and standards of the Academy.
Completing the Online Application
The AAUS Organizational Membership Application requires:
1) Completion of the online application for Organizational Members.
2) Completion of Individual Membership applications from the Diving Safety Officer(s), and all members of the Diving Control Board. (Application fees and dues for these individuals are covered by the OM application fee).
3) Submission of a $500 non-refundable application fee.
Applicants are responsible for submitting and maintaining complete, accurate, and up to date applications (OM and Individual). Applicants can edit information by revisiting their account and editing the Membership Profile.
Manual Review Process
Once the online application is completed in full, AAUS will provide the applicant with instructions for submission of a Diving Safety Manual which meets or exceeds the AAUS Standards. A copy of the Academy's scientific diving standards is available on the AAUS website. When drafting a diving safety manual, OM applicants are encouraged to copy the AAUS Standards and modify them to create a functional document which addressses any and all operational procedures specific to their program.
The manual review process also requires the submission of a Dive Manual Review Check Sheet. This is an excel spreadsheet which aids the Standards Review Committee in comparing your standards to the AAUS template.
Membership Approval
Once the online application and manual review process is complete the application will be forwarded to the AAUS Board of Directors for review and approval. The Board reviews and votes on OM applications biannually. Accepted applicants will be notified of their status and asked to submit annual dues to activate their membership. Unsccessful applicants will be notified of the reasons for denial and provided recommendations regarding continued pursuit of membership.
Annual Requirements (Accepted OMs)
Once accepted as an Organizational Member, institutions are responsible for the following:
1) Annual Membership Dues- Membership dues for Organizational Members are $350 and cover the calendar year from January 1 to December 31.
2) Membership Information-Organizational Members must ensure that all information pertaining to their organization and associated Individual Members (DSO, DCB, Administrators) is complete and up to date. Failure to maintain this information often causes communication difficulties and may result in standards violations.
3) Statistics Reporting-Organizational Membership requires an annual report of diving activities. To view details on compiling this report visit the AAUS Documents and Information Library.
4) Community Involvment- Organizational Members are encouraged to be active members of the AAUS by establishing and maintaining communication with other AAUS OMs, participating in community discussion, polls, and elections, and attending the annual AAUS Symposium and Diving Safety Officers Meeting whenever possible.
If you have additional questions regarding AAUS Organizational Membership, please contact the AAUS Membership Committee, or the AAUS Office.
