The University Senate and Provost created a joint task force in 2021 to develop a policy to guide repatriation efforts at the university and ensure transparency, accountability, and respectful care and repatriation of Ancestors and cultural items. This process included inviting Tribes from across California to participate in the process, and representatives, leaders, and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs) from 16 different Tribes collaborated in one or more meetings. The task force worked for over a year and completed USD’s first official NAGPRA policy on October 10, 2022, which was formally adopted shortly thereafter by the University Senate and President. We are in the process of fully implementing the policy.
Policy 2.12 Repatriation of Cultural Heritage Materials includes the following sections:
- Purpose (p. 2)
- Definitions (p. 3)
- Guiding Principles (pp. 3-4)
- Directives (pp. 4-8)
- Compliance (p. 4)
- Review and Amendment (pp. 4-5)
- Repatriation Coordinator (pp. 5-6)
- Repatriation Committee (pp. 6-7)
- Appeals (p. 7)
- Responsibilities of Covered Parties (p. 7)
- Proactive Efforts, Awareness, and Education (pp. 7-8)
- Voluntary Deaccessioning of Items Which are Not NAGPRA/CalNAGPRA-eligible (p. 8)
- Reburials and Permanent Curation (p. 8)
- Accessibility (p. 8)