The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) is an
organization
An organization or organisation (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), is an entity—such as a company, an institution, or an association—comprising one or more people and having a particular purpose.
The word is derived f ...
of state-supported colleges and universities that offer degree programs leading to
bachelor's
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to si ...
,
master's
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. or
doctoral
A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' l ...
degrees. AASCU grew out of the Association of Teacher Education Institutions that had been organized in 1951 to serve public comprehensive institutions. Most of the original member institutions began as single-purpose institutions, most commonly
normal school
A normal school or normal college is an institution created to train teachers by educating them in the norms of pedagogy and curriculum. In the 19th century in the United States, instruction in normal schools was at the high school level, turni ...
s.
Purpose
The AASCU has a four-fold purpose:
*To promote appreciation and support for public higher education and the distinctive contributions of our member colleges and universities;
*To analyze public policy, and to advocate for member institutions and the students they serve;
*To provide policy leadership and program support to strengthen academic quality, promote access and inclusion, and facilitate educational innovation; and
*To create professional development opportunities for institutional leaders, especially presidents, chancellors and their spouses.
Membership
There are nearly 400 member institutions of AASCU.
References
External links
Official website
{{Authority control
Organizations established in 1951
College and university associations and consortia in the United States
1951 establishments in the United States