As of July 1, AFC has transitioned to a two-tier membership structure: Core and Premium. Core Membership is unlocked when a college pays its institutional dues, extending AFC communications, professional development, and resources to employees across that institution. Premium Membership remains AFC’s paid individual tier. The structure is built around two kinds of investment. The first comes from the college. The second comes from the individual.

Institutional dues are the annual investment a college makes in AFC on behalf of its employees. They are paid by the institution, not by the individual, and they are separate from individual membership dues. When a college pays its institutional dues, it is saying that it values the work its people do and wants them connected to colleagues doing that same work across the Florida College System. That investment is what unlocks Core Membership for everyone at the institution.

No. Core Membership is extended to individuals at colleges that pay institutional dues. The college’s investment is what makes broader access possible. Individuals at colleges that do not maintain institutional membership do not receive Core Membership benefits.

Core Membership is a college’s investment in its professionals. It provides access to AFC communications, professional development opportunities, and other resources made available through the institution’s dues investment. Core Members are not paid individual members and do not have voting rights or eligibility to hold office within the Association. In other words, Core Membership is a starting point.

Premium Membership is an individual’s investment in themselves. It is AFC’s paid individual tier, and Premium Members receive all Core benefits plus additional opportunities, including priority registration for AFC events, attendance at one region event each year, discounts on other AFC events, and member-exclusive items. Premium Members hold voting rights and remain eligible to hold office within the Association. Premium Membership recognizes that the people who carry the work of Florida’s colleges deserve to belong to an organization that will help them grow.

Current full time and part time employees of Florida College System institutions are eligible for Premium Membership, along with retirees. Premium Membership is held by the individual rather than the institution. If you were already a paid AFC member, you automatically transition to Premium Membership at your existing rate.

No. Premium Membership rates are the same as the previous individual membership rates. The tier has a new name, but the cost has not changed.

Yes. Premium Membership is an individual investment and does not depend on whether a college pays institutional dues. In fact, for individuals whose college does not maintain institutional membership, Premium Membership is the only way to access AFC benefits.

Premium Membership does not automatically renew, unless you pay with payroll deduction. Premium Membership is personal and non-transferable, meaning it remains with the individual even if they change institutions or roles.

The structure allows AFC to extend its reach across Florida’s college community while maintaining a meaningful individual membership tier that recognizes deeper engagement with the Association. Institutional investment from colleges makes broader access possible. Individual investment through Premium Membership sustains the governance, programming, and professional growth opportunities that follow. Both investments serve the same mission of supporting members, institutions, and the students and communities they serve.

Voting rights are reserved for individuals who hold paid individual (Premium) membership. Voting rights are not extended through Core Membership, regardless of whether Core access is received through institutional or complimentary status. This is not a new provision. It was established through governance changes approved by the Assembly of Delegates in 2024 when AFC’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws were updated.

Every individual covered by a college’s institutional investment after July 1st will receive an email from AFC with information about Core Membership benefits. Current dues-paying members who were automatically upgraded to Premium received a separate welcome email outlining their Premium benefits. A member portal is coming soon and will serve as the central place to view membership status, access benefits, and manage individual membership. Details will be shared as that launch approaches. In the meantime, anyone who did not receive their Premium Member welcome email should contact AFC directly.

There are many ways to engage with AFC. Awards, events, and Learning Communities are open to all Core and Premium Members. Members can attend webinars, regional conferences, and the annual Success Summit, join a Learning Community aligned with their area of work, and connect with their local chapter. Premium Members can also take part in governance by voting and holding office. The best first step is to connect with your college chapter and watch for AFC communications about upcoming opportunities.

Yes. Members who are currently grandfathered into a legacy dues rate should be aware that if they discontinue their Premium Membership and later choose to rejoin, they would do so at the then-current Premium Membership rate. The grandfathered rate cannot be reinstated once membership lapses.

Chapters play an important role in helping individuals understand what it means to be an invested member of the Association. Frame the conversation around investment. A college’s institutional dues open the door through Core Membership. Premium Membership is how an individual chooses to walk through it.

Highlight the governance piece. Voting rights and the ability to hold office are reserved for Premium Members. For anyone who wants a voice in the direction of AFC, Premium Membership is how they exercise it.

Use events and programming as entry points. When colleagues attend a webinar, regional conference, or the Success Summit, follow up with a direct conversation about investing in themselves through Premium Membership.

Members who choose not to renew should notify AFC that they wish to discontinue their paid membership. Upon doing so, they no longer hold Premium Membership status or have voting rights. If their college maintains institutional membership with AFC, they still receive Core Membership benefits through that investment. If the college does not participate through institutional membership, they are no longer affiliated with AFC and do not have access to member benefits. If you currently pay via payroll deduction, you will need to notify your payroll department directly to discontinue the deduction.

AFC is here to help. Contact [email protected] with any questions.