Join OCANORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERSHIP LEVELS
The
following values are central to the work of the Ohio College Access
Network (OCAN): diversity, opportunity, inclusiveness, community
volunteerism, and educational achievement. The mission of the Network
is to increase awareness of and successful participation in quality
postsecondary programs, including apprenticeship, certificate,
associate, and bachelor degree programs. In order for OCAN to reflect
the varying stages of college access work in Ohio, the Network offers
several levels of membership with specific categories. These membership
groups are intended to reflect and observe defined values and mission
while at the same time promoting collaborative learning and sharing of
best practices in order to advance the charge of college access in
Ohio. These membership levels include:
Traditional Membership:
Those
granted a Traditional Membership must be a non-profit community focused
college access organization as defined by the provision of basic types
of services including college admission and financial aid counseling.
Other services college access programs may offer include mentoring, SAT
and ACT preparation, tutoring, college visits and career guidance. A
Traditional Membership is defined through the work of the College
Readiness Initiative in the state of Ohio, vote of inclusion by the
OCAN Board of Directors and must correspond with one of the following
categories:
- Community-based College Access Program
A
community-based college access program is a community-based, primarily
privately-funded local non-profit organization established to increase
the number of local residents who pursue and succeed in education
beyond high school. Community-based College Access Programs typically
serve school districts in the area by providing financial aid and
college admission advising, college visits, career guidance, test
preparation and last-dollar scholarships or grants, as well as
generally raising awareness about the need for postsecondary education.
(Example: The Crawford College Connection)
- College Access Resource Center
A
college access resource center is a one-stop for college access
information and typically has a staff that provides information on
college admissions, careers, scholarships, and other forms of financial
aid. Most centers work with both adult and traditional-age students
and families who are seeking information about higher education.
(Example: Columbus Urban League’s Achievement Matters College Access Program)
- Higher Education Access Partnership
A
higher education access partnership is a college access program that
operates from a college campus. Such a partnership is administered
through the leadership of a higher education institution and provides
traditional college access service delivery mechanisms including
hands-on college admission and financial aid advising using advisors in
local schools and resource centers that serve students and families on
a drop-in basis. (Example: Springfield Higher Education Partnership at Clark State Community College)
Dues: $50 Annual
Benefits: Free and/or
Reduced Cost Professional Development Opportunities, Building Blocks,
Member Intranet, Technical Assistance from OCAN Staff, OCIS License,
OCAN Discuss List serve, Web-Enabled Student Tracking Database (WEST),
Newsletter, Member Directory, Marketing Materials, Advisory Services
Manual and other resources, Eligible to apply for the OCAN Seal of Good
Practice and OCAN Seal of Excellence. Representation on the Membership
Advisory Council(MAC).
Associate Membership:
Associate
Membership is extended to an organization or program (except those
included in the Traditional Membership category) that receives federal
and/or local funding and offers college access services including or
differing from those listed above. These services may include
mentoring, homework help, cultural awareness, enrichment opportunities,
self-esteem training and accelerated academic programming. These
organizations must share a commitment to increasing college access for
all Ohioans. (Example: Village to Child—Ohio Dominican University, Mount Carmel CREDO Center or University of Cincinnati Upward Bound TRiO Program)
Dues: $50 Annual
Benefits: Professional
Development Opportunities at Minimal Cost, Building Blocks online
toolkit, Member Intranet, Newsletter, OCAN Discuss List serve, Member
Directory
Affiliate Membership:
Affiliate
Membership is designed for those educational institutions and/or
associations that share a common vision with the Ohio College Access
Network. Those seeking Affiliate Membership with OCAN desire to
strengthen alliances with like-minded organizations, increase service
capacity and augment networking opportunities. Such organizations or
associations must demonstrate a commitment toward advancing access to
postsecondary education for Ohioans and/or provide a direct service to
making access more available. (Example: The Ohio Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators or Ohio Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel)
Dues: $250 Annual
Benefits: Building
Blocks, OCAN Discuss List serve, Newsletter, Member Directory, Priority
Exhibit space at Annual Conference at reduced cost
Supporting Organization:
Supporting
Organizations are those partners with whom OCAN finds an important and
necessary alignment to advance the work of statewide college access.
These organizations provide a number of resources for the Network’s
members and partners, including the development of informational
materials for students and families and sponsorship of the annual
conference and other professional development opportunities. Such
organizations include foundations, student loan providers and
guarantors, state governing agencies, and organizations and businesses
that have a particular interest in issues related to college access,
but do not fall into one of the other categories. (Example: Student Loan Funding)
Dues: $500 Annual
Benefits: Building Blocks, OCAN Discuss
List serve, Newsletter, Member Directory, Priority Exhibit space at
Annual Conference at reduced cost