Membership


What does it mean to be a member?


Membership in the organization includes access and networking to a national group of colleagues, access to resources posted, access to an active listserv, and reduced rates for conferences as well as regional gatherings.

About Chaplaincy

University and college chaplains are professional clergy and laypersons who seek to enhance the spiritual and ethical educational experience of the whole person—mind, body, and soul.


We encourage and support spiritual development, theological reflections, religious tolerance, and social awareness among students, faculty, and staff. Our commitment is to their spiritual well-being.


We ensure that all participants in campus life have access to religious, spiritual, and ethical services, resources, and practices of their own choosing. We provide opportunities for all to explore questions of meaning, value, and purpose. In times of joy and sorrow, we are dedicated to being a caring, gentle, accessible presence. And we promote respect for all beliefs, traditions, and worldviews, as well as considerate interaction with and learning from one another.


How do I become a member?

1. Choose your membership category

There are five categories of membership in the association.

Individual Active Membership
Individual Active Membership covers one individual who is employed by their college or university with responsibility for religious and spiritual life on campus. Individuals can be part time or full time in any arrangement. Individual members gain access to members-only privileges, they can attend conferences at a discounted rate, and they are able to vote in business meetings.

Institutional Active Membership
If an institution has multiple staff who will be members of the Association, the institution can bundle the members into one membership. Members who are part of an institutional group must still meet the qualifications of the “Individual Active Membership” status. Institutional Active Members gain access to members-only privileges, they can attend conferences at a discounted rate, and they are able to vote in business meetings.

Affiliate Membership
This membership level allows limited participation for individuals with a vested professional interest in the work of the Association. Affiliate members cannot vote in business meetings. They may gain access to some members-only privileges at the Board of Directors’ discretion. Affiliates have membership discounts for conferences.

Student Membership
Student Membership allows limited participation in the Association for individuals who are currently enrolled in a graduate degree program (full time or part time) that supports the entry into the field of higher education chaplaincy or religious life work on college campuses. Student Members cannot vote in business meetings and they cannot represent “New Members” on the Executive Committee. They may gain access to some members-only privileges at the Board of Directors’ discretion. Students have membership discounts for conferences. Annual dues for the Student Membership category are set by the Board of Directors and are intended to be at a reduced rate.

Lifetime Members
Lifetime Members are designated by the Board of Directors as a way to honor individuals who are retiring from the profession of higher education chaplaincy and who have made significant contributions to the Association. The Board of Directors can determine the number of Lifetime Members to designate in a given year, if any. Those with Lifetime Member status shall not be required to pay annual dues or conference registration fees.

2. Apply to join ACSLHE!





Who else is a member?






















































































































ACSLHE | pronounced AXLE | ©2022