What is the SAAAPA Assembly of Representatives (AOR)?
The AOR is a 2-day meeting held during the first 2 days of AAPA's annual conference. The participants of the AOR include the Student Academy Board of Directors (SBOD) and one representative from each officially recognized PA program student society.
The AOR establishes Student Academy policy, elects and directs the activities of the SBOD for the following year.
The policy of the Student Academy and the activities of the SBOD are dictated by resolutions that are submitted in the AOR. These resolutions are debated on and voted upon by the members of the AOR. Resolutions my be submitted by an individual student member in good standing of AAPA, a recognized student society, an Assembly of Representatives representative from an individual student society, or any member of the SBOD.
Another important activity during the AOR includes the presentation of the Student Academy's awards.
What is the AOR Representative?
The AOR representative is an elected/appointed position of a student society. This person must be a current AAPA member in good standing a student of a registered student society, and must not graduate until after AAPA's annual conference.
It is suggested that this position be filled during the student society officer elections. It is preferred that the name of this person be submitted to Student Academy staff as soon as appointed/elected and preferably before November 1. The term of office shall be one year from the time of election until the new AOR representative is elected/appointed. It is suggested that this position be filled by a first year student who then will become the HOD representative during the second year.
What does an AOR Representative do?
- Distribute information from the monthly updates sent by the RCC, quarterly newsletters from the Vice President of the Student Academy, and information you find on the Student Academy Web page to the students at your PA program. The monthly updates and newsletters contain information about issues, discussions and events occurring in the Student Academy. It is your responsibility to check the Student Academy Web page each month for new information.
- Become a Regional Chair. The Regional Chair is responsible for disseminating information from the Student Academy to all students and for organizing the student track at the AAPA Regional meetings in conjunction with the AAPA Constituent Relations Committee representatives. As Student Academy Regional Chair, you can help to arrange the speakers for the student track. You may also be called upon to help run the student track at the regional meeting.
- Prepare for the Student Academy Assembly of Representatives meeting at the AAPA Annual Conference. Each AOR Representative will receive an AOR Handbook that contains a copy of the resolutions that will be debated and voted on, the year-end reports of the SBOD, a list of the AOR Representatives from each registered student society, and a copy of the platform statements written by the candidates running for the SBOD or appointed positions. It is your responsibility to share the resolutions that are in the AOR Handbook with your classmates. It is recommended that you try to come to the AOR with an open mind on these resolutions. You will have the opportunity to give testimony on the resolutions during the AOR.
- Report the results of the debates and votes in the AOR meeting back to your student society. This is very important because many of your classmates will not be able to attend the AOR meeting. The AOR Representative is the only link for these students to the Student Academy and the AAPA.
- Mentor the incoming AOR Representative. This is one of your most important responsibilities as AOR Representative. The SBOD recommends that you set up a mentor relationship that will continue throughout the year. In addition, a written handbook or set of guidelines with a timeline would help the incoming AOR Representative to get an idea of what their responsibilities will be throughout the year. This will enable the Student Academy to continue to improve communication and better serve all PA students.
- You must be elected/appointed by your student society.
- Your student society must be registered with the Student Academy of the AAPA.
- You must be a AAPA member in good standing.
