Important Member Update: AMF Changes

[SamanthaO_isc2]

Everything we do at (ISC)² is focused on helping you achieve your professional goals, better secure your organization’s critical assets and achieve our vision of inspiring a safe and secure cyber world. With that in mind, we have invested heavily in strengthening the value we provide to our members. From new member benefits and our online community to our global (ISC)² Security Congress and the launch of immersive professional development opportunities, your (ISC)² team has been working hard to deliver on our value promise to you. To continue investing in enriching, valuable resources that enable you to grow as a professional, the (ISC)² Board of Directors has approved updates to our membership policies and an increase in our annual maintenance fees (AMFs).

What does this mean for you?

• Simplified AMF Schedule – We are aligning with industry and financial best practices, as well as eliminating confusion among some members by no longer billing in arrears (for the previous year’s membership). AMFs will be due at the start of your membership cycle each year. To remain in Good Standing, all members are required to ensure their accounts align with the new payment policy by June 30, 2019. Sign in to www.isc2.org to view your account balance. If you still owe AMFs for the previous year, you will be required to pay those, as well as pay your AMF for the upcoming year.
  
  
• New AMF of U.S. $125 – Effective July 1, 2019, your new AMF will be U.S. $125. Starting January 7, 2019, members have until June 30, 2019 to pay any outstanding AMFs and the option to pay ahead for the remainder of their three-year membership cycle at the current rate for your certification(s). For example, members with a CISSP who pay an outstanding AMF for last year also can pay their 2019 AMF at the rate of U.S. $85, if they pay by June 30, 2019. Members who are due for renewal (members in the final year of their three-year membership cycles) between January 1, 2019 and June 30, 2019 must pay any outstanding AMFs and their 2019 annual maintenance fee at the current rate before June 30.
  
  
• Savings for Multiple Certifications – Starting July 1, 2019, members with multiple certifications will save as they will only pay a single AMF of U.S. $125 regardless of how many (ISC)² certifications they earn. If you hold multiple certifications, your single AMF of U.S. $125 will be due on your earliest certification anniversary.
  
  
• Updated Member Policies – To clarify policies and procedures for members, we have revised the (ISC)² Certification and Member Maintenance Policy and (ISC)² Membership Reinstatement Policy. All policies are available online here.

Act Now and Save

You have until June 30, 2019 to pay your AMF at the current rate for this year, as well as any outstanding fees. If you choose, you also can pay the remainder of your current membership cycle at the current rate. If you pay your 2019 AMF after June 30, 2019, you will be charged at the new rate of U.S. $125. Sign in to www.isc2.org, visit the Member Dashboard and click on the Pay button to save now.

If you have any questions, read our AMF Overview (requires login), ask our team a question on the Member Support board or send an email to your regional Member Services team. 

Thank you for your (ISC)² membership.

[Radioteacher]

As a holder of two certifications, CISSP and CCSP, I am looking forward to saving $60 a year in AMF!

Thank you,

Paul

[MD007]

Everyone else that only has one just got screwed badly

[emb021]

Am a little confused by it saying I now own $235!!!

I have a CISSP, which is usually due end of Feb and the HCISPP due end of November.  I paid my 2018 fees in 2018, so why owe so much and not $125???

[danyo]

Hi Samantha - can you provide us with more details around the new member benefits?

[vividimagery]

Could you please explain what current members are receiving for these increased rates or how this applies to the vision stated above? Please understand from a customer POV, this looks like you are targeting your biggest body (CISSP only) and trying to get more money out of them. 

Could you please justify how you got to that price point? When comparing to other respected certifications in the industry, Examples:

EC-Council: 80/year

ISACA: 45/year

SANS GIAC: 107.25/year (paid every 4)

I could be overlooking it, but I believe this puts ISC2 single-cert as the most expensive certification in the industry in terms of AMF. 

What do members do that have multiple certs that fall before and after the 6/30/19? 

[denbesten]

Based on the current member counts, at most 20,328 stand to benefit from the "Single AMF", whereas at least 110,852 will be hurt by the price hike.

Member Counts as of 12/31/2018

CISSP Total	131,180
SSCP Total	4,822
CAP Total	2,902
CSSLP Total	2,277
ISSAP Total	1,959
ISSEP Total	1,153
ISSMP Total	1,193
CCFP - US Total	142
CCFP - EU Total	49
CCFP - KR Total	72
CCFP - IN	1
CCSP Total	4,518
HCISPP Total	1,190
JGISP Total	10
ISSJP Total	40
Grand Total	151,508

Less visible, but even more painful are the new reinstatement costs.  If someone who gave up their cert 5 years ago decides to reenter the field, they need to pony up $1924 ($699 exam fee + $125 x 5 back AMFs + $600 reinstatement).   I will never understand why companies treat current and former customers worse than new customers.  It's like they do not understand a bird in the hand....

[rslade]

> SamanthaO_isc2 (Community Manager) posted a new article in (ISC)² Updates

> Everything we do at (ISC)² is focused on helping you achieve your professional
> goals, better secure your organization’s critical assets and achieve our
> vision of inspiring a safe and secure cyber world.

... and rainbows and unicorns ...

> With that in mind, we have
> invested heavily in strengthening the value we provide to our members.

Like the new CPE portal?

> To continue
> investing in enriching, valuable resources that enable you to grow as a
> professional, the (ISC)² Board of Directors has approved updates to our
> membership policies and an increase in our annual membership fees (AMFs).  

OK, to be perfectly fair, this is the first increase in fees in, like, forever. But, to
be even fairer, what are we getting for this increase? Pretty much same old same
old.

Further to the implementation of this:

> To remain in Good Standing, all members are required to ensure their accounts
> align with the new payment policy by June 30, 2019.

> Starting January 7, 2019, members have until June 30, 2019 to pay any
> outstanding AMFs and the option to pay ahead for the remainder of their
> three-year membership cycle at the current rate for your certification(s).

The Cash Cow! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r6LV02QscU

> Savings for Multiple Certifications – Starting July 1, 2019,
> members with multiple certifications will save as they will only pay a single
> AMF of U.S. $125 regardless of how many (ISC)² certifications they earn.

OK, taking both of these together, ISC2 is going to rake in a ton of money this
year, but then be faced with possible serious shortfall over the next few years, and
will be moving even further into the "quantity and not quality" mode that has
recently been concerning ...

I'm going to have to seriously consider taking the "Retired" designation ...

(And you haven't answered the question about whether I get kicked off the CISSP Group board if I take it ...)

[dk93jk]

Simply disappointing.

From now on, I will recommend all my contacts not to make this certification.

[SamanthaO_isc2]

Hello @danyo & @vividimagery, 

Thank you for reaching out with your questions. First, let’s go over how AMFs are used by (ISC)². They are used to directly support the costs of maintaining the (ISC)² certifications, related support systems and management of the association. Our teams did extensive research to come to the new amounts for our AMFs. While this new fee is in line with similar membership associations, we feel that our members receive a very a strong return on this annual investment. At the top of our AMF Overview page at www.isc2.org/AMFs-Overview, you’ll see a list of many of the valuable benefits you have access to. These range from immersive professional development courses, to discounts on learning materials, conferences, services and support, and much more at no additional cost to you. For more information, please see our FAQ page.

[SamanthaO_isc2]

Hello @rslade, 

I wanted to address your comment about the Retired CISSP and if you would have access to the group. This is something that the team and I are still working on. As soon as I have any additional information I can update the original thread.  

Thank you, 

Samantha

[MD007]

You need to allow those with single certs to keep paying only $85 although even that is ridiculous and POOR POOR value for money. Read the other comments, nobody gets much benefit from these wonderful features you mention. Its Amusement park theology, trapped inside so you'll pay whatever. You know we HAVE to keep our certs so you know you can gauge more money out of us for very little benefit. Single cert: $85 Multiple certs: $125

[wayne]

I feel that raising the AMF nearly 50% to $125 per year ($375 per certification cycle) is criminal.  Particularly considering that the ONLY real benefit we receive from it is a certificate and card every 3 years and the ability to place letters behind our name. That ridiculous Member Perks app is a complete waste of time and money.  I can get more technical and security information for free from the SANS IC3 and Infragard websites. ISC2 creating and selling additional certifications does not help me achieve my professional goals.

Having had my certification for almost 14 years I have invested nearly $1200 in AMF fees alone not to mention the (unbillable) time spent in maintaining CPE's.  This will likely boost organizations like SANS.  Or, at least make folks perform a more critical value analysis of maintaining this certification.  

I know I will be evaluating whether to maintain my certification when it comes up for renewal next year.

I doubt anyone at ISC2 really cares about our opinions here.  But, I felt the need to vent.

[rslade]

> SamanthaO_isc2 (Community Manager) mentioned you in a post! Join the

> Hello @rslade,    I wanted to address your comment about the Retired CISSP
> and if you would have access to the group. This is something that the team and I
> are still working on. As soon as I have any additional information I can update
> the original thread.

I will compose my soul in impatience.

However, a choice seems to lie before me. I can go for the "Retired" designation,
pay a one-time fee, and not pay any more AMFs. Or, I can simply not pay this
year, or any future year.

At the moment, paying for the "Retired" designation doesn't seem to get me
anything ...

====================== (quote inserted randomly by Pegasus Mailer)
rslade@vcn.bc.ca slade@victoria.tc.ca rslade@computercrime.org
Res Centum et Una Quas Magus Facere Potet
One Hundred and One Things a Wizard Can Do
victoria.tc.ca/techrev/rms.htm http://twitter.com/rslade
http://blogs.securiteam.com/index.php/archives/author/p1/
https://is.gd/RotlWB

[rslade]

> SamanthaO_isc2 (Community Manager) posted a new comment in (ISC)² Updates

> First, let's go over how AMFs are used by (ISC)². They are used to
> directly support the costs of maintaining the (ISC)² certifications, related
> support systems and management of the association.

Well, it's been doing OK at $85 for some time, now, so what's changed?

> Our teams did extensive
> research to come to the new amounts for our AMFs. While this new fee is in line
> with similar membership associations

"Everybody else is doing it" never cut any ice with me from the kids, so I'm not about to accept it from ISC2.

> At the top of our AMF Overview page at
> www.isc2.org/AMFs-Overview, you'll see a list of many of the valuable benefits
> you have access to. These range from immersive professional development courses,
> to discounts on learning materials, conferences, services and support, and much
> more at no additional cost to you.

I'd suggest you take a serious look at
https://community.isc2.org/t5/Member-Support/Your-new-annual-membership-
Fee-is-now-125-How-do-you-feel-about/m-p/18199/highlight/true#M3532

before you play that card ...

[AMF_incredulous]

A 47% fee increase is disgraceful. Whomever thought that this was a good idea should lose their job.

The fact that the board approved this outrageous hike is alarming; it shows the contempt that they have for their members. The audacity exhibited by the board members without consultation or warning to their bread-and-butter members is an indication of things to come.

There would not have been an objection to a reasonable increase.

After 10 years with ISC2, I will not be renewing my membership.

My message to the ISC2 board is that this will unreasonable price hike will cause the brand reputational damage that the organization will find difficult to recover from. It also signals a major breach of trust with the membership.