[3] The mission statement of the SAA is to expand understanding and appreciation of humanity's past as achieved through systematic investigation of the archaeological record; promote research, stewardship of archaeological resources, public and professional education, and the dissemination of knowledge; and serve the public interest.

[5][better source needed] Since 2000, the SAA's annual meetings have been held in: [6] In April 2019, the SAA's 84th annual meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico,[7] was the subject of controversy due to the attendance of David Yesner, a former professor of archaeology at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA).

[8][9][10][11] Prior to the meeting, a Title IX investigation at UAA had found Yesner guilty of "decades of sexual misconduct".

[8] The science journalist Michael Balter was also barred from the meeting by its organizers, apparently because he had approached Yesner and asked him to leave.

[15] The SAA subsequently issued an apology[16] but claimed that it did not receive complaints about Yesner's presence at the conference until its second day, and acted upon them "within hours".