Report 2021-047 Recommendation 9 Responses

Report 2021-047: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act: Despite Some Recent Improvements, the University of California Has Not Yet Taken Adequate Action to Ensure Its Timely Return of Native American Remains and Cultural Items (Release Date: November 2022)

Recommendation #9 To: University of California

Until such time that the Legislature requires the Office of the President to provide funding to support campus repatriation efforts, the Office of the President should ensure that campuses identify adequate funding sources in their detailed budgets.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From May 2024

To satisfy the CSA recommendation that the UC Office of the President (UCOP) should ensure that campuses identify adequate funding sources in their detailed budgets, UCOP has taken the following actions.

First, UCOP committed $5.7m to support campus repatriation efforts over fiscal years 2023-2026. UCOP contributions to campus repatriation budgets will gradually decrease each year, ceasing by the end of fiscal year 2026. Campus contributions will increase as necessary to ensure that repatriation budgets remain fully funded. This transition will allow campuses time to identify long-term funding sources so they may eventually assume full responsibility for their repatriation budgets.

UCOP has also developed a process for annual reviews of campus budgets for NAGPRA/CalNAGPRA activities. Under this new process, campuses must annually submit their budgets for NAGPRA/CalNAGPRA activities to UCOP. UCOP will then review the budgets to ensure that they (1) are reasonable and adequate to maintain or accelerate the pace of repatriation, (2) align with the goals and timeline of the campus's Repatriation Implementation Plan, and (3) Clearly identify funding source(s). UCOP will then share the campus budgets with the Systemwide NAGPRA Implementation and Oversight Committee for input. Based on these review activities, UCOP will provide feedback to the campuses and require them to resubmit their budgets with any requested revisions. UCOP will work with campuses to resolve any outstanding issues.

Documentation of this new process was provided to the State Auditor's Office.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From December 2023

UCOP has allocated $5.7m to support campus repatriation efforts over the next three years. UCOP contributions to campus repatriation budgets will gradually decrease each year, ceasing by the end of FY 2026. Campus contributions will increase as necessary to ensure that repatriation budgets remain fully funded. This transition will allow campuses time to identify long-term funding sources so they may eventually assume full responsibility for their repatriation budgets. By January 2024, UCOP will establish a process for annual review of campus repatriation budgets to ensure that repatriation activities are adequately resourced and that funding sources have been secured.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending

6-Month Agency Response

UCOP staff has received and reviewed all campus budgets, which identify funds to be contributed from the campus and those that are being requested from UCOP. Funding decisions will be finalized by August 2023.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

60-Day Agency Response

UCOP requested campus FY 23-24 estimated budgets on October 6, 2022. These budgets identify resources projected to be contributed by the campus and resources requested from UCOP. During our January 9, 2023 regularly scheduled call with campus Repatriation Coordinators, UCOP also communicated that budgets in Repatriation Implementation Plans should clearly identify funding sources. As stated above, these plans are due January 31, 2023. UCOP will review all budgets and make funding decisions by May 2023.

As noted above, UCOP has provided financial support since fy21-22.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2021-047

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.