NAGPRA Committee

AVÀÇ is soliciting and accepting applications for our campus NAGPRA committee, where the majority of the membership will be made up of California Indian tribal members.  

The purpose of the committees is to provide oversight and guidance for all claims for repatriation or claims of any violation of the policies and procedures per

Nominee candidates will be interviewed by the NAHC for potential Commission nomination and appointment by the CSU Chancellor or the chancellor’s designee. 

The nomination form, instructions and qualifications in can be accessed at the .

From AB-389, Section 8028.71

(b) (1) In order to better implement the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.) and this chapter, each AVÀÇ campus shall establish a campus-based Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Implementation Committee, which shall also be known as the NAGPRA Committee for that campus. At least a majority of each campus NAGPRA Committee’s membership shall be from California Indian tribes.

(2) The membership of the campus committee shall be as follows:

(A) Three voting members of an Indian tribe as described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 8012, meeting the requirements of subdivision (c) of this section.

(B) One voting member of an Indian tribe as described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 8012, meeting the requirements of subdivision (c) of this section, or, if none is available, a member of a California Indian tribe as described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 8012, meeting the requirements of subdivision (c) of this section.

(C) Three voting members from the AVÀÇ. At least one of these members shall be affiliated with an American Indian or Native American studies program and each of these members shall meet the requirements of subdivision (d).

(3) The Chancellor of the AVÀÇ or the chancellor’s designee shall appoint members to the campus-based committees upon nomination by the commission.

(4) All claims for repatriation or claims of any violation of the policies and procedures adopted pursuant to Section 8025 shall be submitted to the campus-based Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Implementation Committee for determination.

(5) The composition of the campus-based committees may be altered to include a greater number of qualified members of a California Indian tribe, to the extent that qualified AVÀÇ candidates meeting the criteria in paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) cannot be located.

From AB-389, Section 8028.71

(c) (1) A voting member of a California Indian tribe shall be an elder, spiritual leader, tribal leader, or tribal member, as designated by the governing body of the individual’s tribe, with a minimum of five years’ prior experience in any of the following:

(A) Repatriation of human remains and cultural items pursuant to the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.).

(B) Cultural resources protection under tribal, state, and federal law.

(C) Consultation with state and federal entities and agencies.

(2) Preference shall be given to members of a California Indian tribe. If no members of a California Indian tribe meeting the qualifications of paragraph (1) are available, members of other tribes may serve.

(d) (1) A representative of the AVÀÇ shall meet both of the following criteria:

(A) (i) Have a graduate degree in archaeology, anthropology, Native American studies, ethnic studies, law, sociology, environmental studies, or history, with a focus in California.

(ii) If there are no candidates satisfying clause (i), candidates that have degrees and direct professional experience in fields relevant to repatriation or tribal cultural resources matters shall be deemed to meet the requirements of clause (i).

(B) Have a minimum of five years’ prior experience working in the applicable field of study.

(2) Preference shall be given to members who have demonstrated, through their professional experience, the ability to work in collaboration with Native American tribes successfully on issues related to repatriation or museum collection management.

(3) In the event that candidates from the AVÀÇ are not available or do not meet the criteria of paragraph (1), the AVÀÇ representative positions may be filled by retired emeriti of the AVÀÇ who meet the criteria of paragraph (1).