July 6, 2023 - Chico State Compliance with NAGPRA

Dear Campus Community,

Last week, the California State Auditor released its report on the California State University’s compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and its state counterpart, CalNAGPRA. Chico State was one of four campuses selected for on-site review, and the audit analyzed our progress to comply with both laws, as well as the work we still have ahead, in detail. We acknowledge we have been out of compliance for years and apologize to all Tribes and individuals who continue to wait for the repatriation of their ancestors and cultural items—a commitment we endeavor to complete as quickly as possible.

At Chico State, we fully support the preservation of Native American heritage and Tribal culture and are committed to all elements of NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA. Though much work remains to be in full compliance, the University has submitted an in-progress inventory of its collections and consulted on the repatriation of ancestors and cultural items with Tribes that decided to form a consortium after consulting with the University. And, as the state’s audit indicates, Chico State expects to repatriate a large portion of its NAGPRA collection soon. We submitted Notices of Intent to Repatriate and Notices of Inventory Completion to the Federal register, which have been posted, and repatriation can occur on or after July 24, 2023, if there are no other contesting claims. As we move forward with repatriation, we will continue to consult with and conduct outreach to culturally affiliated Tribes.

Additionally, a dedicated NAGPRA webpage for the University launched today, and on June 26, we decommissioned an outdated policy and implemented an Interim Policy on the Control of Native American Human Remains and Cultural Items at Chico State.

We are grateful for the detailed analysis this audit provided and the thorough approach of state auditors with these findings. They note the many challenges universities have faced in fully complying with NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA, and recommend several best practices that Chico State is currently implementing.

While further progress remains, Chico State is proud of our commitment to working with Native American Tribes, which includes President Emerita Gayle Hutchinson serving as the presidential liaison for the California State University Native American Initiative, and our establishment of a Tribal Relations Office and dedicated director role that reports to the Office of the President.

We look forward to continuing to build relationships and consult with Tribes, embrace Tribal knowledge, and engage in repatriation that is respectful, meaningful, and follows federal and state guidelines. We will keep you updated on the repatriation process as it continues.

Thank you,
Steve Perez
President