State Auditor: CSUs fail to return Native American remains and cultural items to tribes

Most California State University campuses failed to repatriate Native American remains or cultural items to tribes as required under the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, according to a California State Auditor report published Thursday.

The entire CSU system has only returned 6% of its collections to tribes, according to the report.

The Auditor’s Office conducted a survey of all 23 CSU campuses and conducted on-site reviews at Chico State, Sacramento State, San Diego State and San Jose State, finding that of the 21 campuses with collections falling under the repatriation law, more than half failed to return the remains or cultural items. The two campuses that had returned remains or cultural items did not follow legal requirements when doing so, according to the report.

More than half of the 21 campuses with covered collections did not yet know the extent of their collections, despite federal law requiring them to do so by late 1995.

The Auditor’s Office believes that campuses have not prioritized the repatriation program, causing them to lack the policies, funding and staffing necessary to follow the law and repatriate their collections. The Chancellor’s Office has not provided the guidance and oversight necessary for campuses to comply with the law and the state’s counterpart, according to the report. It also hasn’t prioritized funding to return the collections, though the Chancellor’s Office has recently begun planning such efforts.