Report 2022-107 Recommendation 7 Responses

Report 2022-107: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act: The California State University Must Do More to Ensure the Timely Return of Native American Remains and Cultural Items to Tribes (Release Date: June 2023)

Recommendation #7 To: University, California State

To ensure that campuses have the funding necessary to comply with NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA, the Chancellor's Office should require each campus with NAGPRA collections to identify and estimate, by January 2024, the funding and other resources they need to complete repatriation in an appropriate and timely manner.

1-Year Agency Response

As we previously reported, an October 30, 2023, memorandum to campus presidents from the chancellor instructed campuses with NAGPRA collections to finalize their Repatriation Implementation Plan (Plan), including the establishment of timelines and budgets. The campus plans were due to the Chancellor's Office on December 15, 2023.

The Chancellor's Office received and reviewed the responses from all 21 campuses. The responses included budget estimates for the funding and other resources campuses need to complete repatriation in an appropriate and timely manner. The systemwide CalNAGPRA project manager reviewed and discussed each campus's budget plan during one-on-one meetings. This information is being used to inform the funding decisions being made as part of recommendation 8.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented

6-Month Agency Response

An October 30, 2023, memorandum to campus presidents from the chancellor instructed campuses with NAGPRA collections to finalize their Repatriation Implementation Plan (campus plan), including the establishment of timelines and budgets. The campus plans were due to the Chancellor's Office on December 15, 2023.

The Chancellor's Office is currently reviewing and summarizing the campus funding requests to determine the systemwide funding needs to comply with NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA.

In the meantime, the Board of Trustees approved the fiscal year 2024-2025 budget plan, which includes $4.25 million allocated to state and federal NAGPRA compliance. Existing sources would cover $2.25 million, with an additional $2 million being requested from the Legislature.

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

60-Day Agency Response

The Chancellor's Office plans to issue a Repatriation Implementation Plan to campuses. The Repatriation Implementation Plan will require campuses to develop operational NAGPRA budgets for submission to the Chancellor's Office.

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

All Recommendations in 2022-107

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.