I write regarding specific actions required under the University of California Native American Cultural Affiliation and Repatriation Policy recently issued by the Office of the President.
Dear Department Deans, Chairs and Unit Heads:
I write regarding specific actions required under the University of California Native American Cultural Affiliation and Repatriation Policy recently issued by the Office of the President. On March 4, 2021, I sent a campus-wide email that provided a broad overview of the campus’s commitment to the policy.
In addition to an annual campus-wide communication to raise awareness of the policy requirements, the campus is required to conduct a systematic review to locate any previously unreported Native American Human Remains and Cultural Items such as Sacred Objects, Funerary Objects, and Objects of Cultural Patrimony (see Section V. E). Further, the California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (CalNAGPRA) specifies that, because it may not be clear which objects are considered to be Cultural Items, CalNAGPRA summaries must include all Native American ethnographic or archaeological objects (“Native American Objects”), such as baskets, beads, stone and bone tools, faunal remains, and other materials made by Native Americans.
The intention of this campus-wide review is to ensure the campus identifies and properly reports all Native American Human Remains and Native American Objects. To that end, I ask Department Chairs and Unit Heads to complete the attached initial assessment in consultation with your faculty, staff, and students as appropriate. In addition, we will contact Departments historically engaged with Native American Human Remains and/or Objects separately and request all Faculty in these selected Departments complete the initial assessment. Please complete by December 31, 2021 so that we can complete the Preliminary Summaries and Inventories as required by January 2022.
The UC policy requires each department conduct an informed initial assessment about whether your unit and individual faculty, staff, or students hold Native American Human Remains and/or Native American Objects. We are requesting this information for any collections under the University of California’s control (including any that UC may have loaned to other institutions or individuals), or under the control of another entity and in the physical care of UC Santa Barbara, or in the possession of any of our faculty, staff, and students at a UC location or elsewhere (including at home).
To assist with this process, I have attached a document providing additional guidance in planning and carrying out your department/unit’s assessment, as well as relevant definitions used in NAGPRA, CalNAGPRA, and the UC policy. I have asked the campus designated Repatriation Coordinator and Assistant Vice Chancellor, Michael Miller, to coordinate this effort. After these reports have been submitted to Mr. Miller, he will review and identify items and departments/units that may require further assessment.
Please complete this questionnaire to provide the results of your department or unit review by December 31, 2021. Please contact Michael Miller (mikemiller@ucsb.edu) if you are unable to complete this assessment in the provided timeframe, especially if you think your department/unit potentially holds Native American Human Remains and/or Native American Objects, or if you have any questions. Please feel free to forward this questionnaire to any member of our campus community that may have relevant information. In the event that the initial assessment indicates departments/units potentially hold Native American Human Remains and/or Native American Objects, Michael Miller will follow up directly regarding next steps.
We appreciate your attention and full cooperation with this request and this policy, helping us ensure UC Santa Barbara identifies and accurately reports Native American Human Remains and Objects as needed to ensure appropriate consultation with and respectful repatriation to Native American communities.
All the best,
Garry Mac Pherson
Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services and Chancellor’s Designee on Repatriation
Attachment:
Guidance for Campus Searches Required under UC Native American Cultural Affiliation and Repatriation Policy
News & Announcements