FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

“AOP” is the USM Association of Office Professionals. It is affiliated with the Mississippi Association of Educational Office Professionals and the National Association of Educational Office Professionals.

USM employees who are administrative support personnel can become Active Members. Former USM employees who have retired can become Retired Members. Anyone interested in supporting AOP but not eligible for active or retired membership, including supervisors, faculty, or students, can become Associate Members.

Members
- Rights: Voting, holding office, and participating in Professional Standards Program
- Duties: Pay dues
Associate Members
- Rights: The same rights and privileges of active members except that of voting, holding office, and participating in the Professional Standards Program
- Duties: Pay dues 
Retired Members
- Rights: May attend all AOP events and meetings under the same conditions as an AOP member
- Duties: Do not pay dues

USM AOP (Association of Office Professionals) prides itself on providing the following tangible benefits to its members. We urge you to consider the value of these benefits when determining whether to become a member.

• Networking
• Collaboration
• Servant Leadership
• Professional Development
• Local and Campus Civic Engagement
• Professional Standards Program (PSP)

Complete the online Membership Form and submit your annual dues. Instructions on submitting dues are included with the linked form.

Currently, membership dues are set at $10.00 annually to help cover the cost of events and affiliation. 

The PSP program is administered by the National Association of Educational Office Professionals (NAEOP). It is designed as a series of eight graduated levels through which an enrollee can attain certificates. With each certificate, AOP members can earn salary increases for exhibiting the desire to improve personally and professionally as a university office employee. For more information about this program, please click here. 

MAEOP stands for the Mississippi Association of Educational Office Professionals. It is our state-level affiliated organization, and many of our current officers and members are a part of it. To learn more about MAEOP, visit their website.

NAEOP stands for the National Association of Educational Office Professionals. It is our national-level affiliated organization, and many of our current officers and members are a part of it. NAEOP administers the Professional Standards Program (PSP). To learn more about NAEOP, visit their website.

If you have more questions, please click%20here to contact us via email.