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University of California, Davis
NAGPRA Compliance Report

September 10, 2018

under NAGPRA Summaries require tribes to initiate the repatriation process with written claims. In
2018, a tribe claimed one of these collections, containing 13 cultural items. UC Davis has filed a Notice of
Intent to Repatriate with National NAGPRA and is awaiting its publication, which will enable the
repatriation of these items. UC Davis has determined that it does not hold any materials known to meet
the definition of sacred objects or objects of cultural patrimony under NAGPRA, however, one
consulting tribe has asserted generally that entire collections are funerary objects, sacred objects, or
objects of cultural patrimony. Consultations with tribes are on-going.

Inventories

UC Davis’s NAGPRA Inventories were submitted to potentially affiliated tribes with invitations to consult
and the National Park Service in 1995 and subsequently by the deadlines established by the future
applicability regulations. UC Davis has completed 55 NAGPRA Inventories, 15 of which were determined
to be culturally affiliated, 40 of which were determined to be culturally unidentifiable. In 1995 cultural
affiliation determinations were made based on available information, primarily linguistic and
archaeological information. Inventories are currently being systematically re-evaluated in consultation
with tribes to re-consider cultural affiliation determinations and ensure accuracy and completeness. UC
Davis is actively engaged with tribes to better understand traditional lines of evidence as well as
consider newly available scientific information. In the last year UC Davis has culturally affiliated five sites
previously determined to be culturally unidentifiable, and is actively engaged and anticipates additional
sites will be affiliated. In addition, UC Davis is systematically reviewing collections to ensure all eligible
materials, human remains and funerary objects, are included on revised Inventories. Through this
review process, UC Davis has identified a significant number of objects determined to be funerary
objects, and added them to revised Inventories.

NAGPRA Reorganization and Institutional Support

In 2011, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Ralph Hexter convened and charged a NAGPRA Advisory
Committee to provide recommendations on campus policies, procedures, and compliance efforts. This
committee includes campus representatives from a number of disciplines as well as representatives
from two local tribes. In 2014, as a result of these discussions, the campus hired a NAGPRA Project
Manager, centralized NAGPRA compliance activities under the Office of the Provost, and dedicated
additional campus resources to NAGPRA. The NAGPRA Project staff now includes three full-time
dedicated staff members and is charged with developing a proactive compliance program. In addition,
the Assistant Executive Vice Chancellor and Senior Campus Counsel carefully oversee NAGPRA
compliance activities. In 2016, Professor Beth Rose Middleton Manning, Professor of Native American
Studies, with strong relationships in many California Indian communities was appointed to represent the
campus on the UC Systemwide Advisory Group. These changes demonstrate the campus’s commitment
to improving NAGPRA compliance and relationships with Native American tribes.

Consultation

UC Davis has developed a proactive outreach and consultation program. In the last three years
approximately 42 tribes have been invited to consult on NAGPRA Inventories or Summaries. Fourteen
tribes have come forward to engage in the consultation process. Consultations range from phone calls,