Committee on Astronomy and Public Policy (CAPP) Guiding Principles
1. CAPP will act on behalf of the whole of astronomy* to promote:
- federal policies that advance the field of astronomy
- the involvement of the community in advisory processes
- the priorities of the Decadal Surveys in astronomy & astrophysics, planetary sciences, and solar & space physics
- broad and diverse participation in the field of astronomy
- public understanding of astronomy
- the importance of effective STEM education
- scientific peer review
- processes involving community-based priority setting
- academic freedom
- open exchange of science information
- an understanding of the value of the astronomical sciences to the nation
2. CAPP will select tasks that:
- are appropriate to the AAS
- are of the broadest interest to the astronomical community
- align with existing priorities
- consider the balance of principles outlined above
3. In executing tasks, CAPP will
- communicate with and advise AAS leadership on policy issues
- communicate the importance of policy making to the AAS membership
- avoid positions on individual projects or special interests that alter established priorities
- avoid conflicts of interest
- do no harm
*The terms "astronomical sciences" and "astronomy" encompass a broad swath of the sciences including studies of the Sun, our Solar System, and the entire universe.