Each Area Committee is charged with studying needs in the area indicated by the committee name, with proposing projects or programs to satisfy those needs, and, in some cases, with helping to carry out such projects. The AAPT Council, Executive Board, Programs Committee, or Review Board may refer matters to Area Committees for study.

The Mission statement for each committee is listed within the online Committee Directory, which is part of the Organizational Directory.

Members

Area Committees normally have nine members, including six appointed by the Nominating Committee and three appointed by the President-Elect. Members serve three-year terms and may not succeed themselves (except that the President-Elect may ask a member to remain on a Committee for one additional year to serve as Chair).

Terms of office begin at the end of the Winter Meeting following appointment and continue through the fourth Winter Meeting following appointment. For example, if appointed in November 2001, membership starts after the January Meeting in 2002, and ends at the end of the January 2005 Meeting.

It is not the policy of the Association to support travel for Area Committee members. Therefore, since regular attendance at the semi-annual Committee meetings is deemed crucial to the functioning of the Committee, persons accepting nomination or appointment to Committees should plan to support their own travel. Committee members are expected to attend at least 4 of the 6 meetings held during their term of office. It is suggested that new members attend the Committee Meeting at the Winter Meeting prior to the beginning of their terms of office. If requested, the Secretary will write letters designed to assist in seeking travel funds from Committee members' home institutions.

If a member resigns before completing the three-year term, the President may appoint a new member to complete the term. All committee members must have current membership in AAPT.

The Executive Officer, or designated representative, serves ex officio (without vote) on each Area Committee.

Chairs

Each year the President-Elect appoints the Chair of each Area Committee from among the members of the Committee. The Chair takes office at the end of the Winter Meeting following appointment, serves a one-year term, and may be reappointed to serve one additional one-year term.

The Chair of each Area Committee is a member of the Programs Committee. The Programs Committee meets twice during each national meeting. If the Chair cannot attend a meeting of the Programs Committee, another member of the Area Committee should be designated to represent the Committee.