California lawmakers on Tuesday pressed University of California leaders over slow progress repatriating Native American ancestors and cultural items, after state auditors said some campuses’ current timelines would stretch years or even decades.
At a joint hearing of the Select Committee on Native American Affairs and the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, the California State Auditor said UC has made progress since earlier reviews but still faces missing or unaccounted-for collections, staffing shortages, weak reporting and repatriation funds that remain unspent or underused.
The auditor’s projections, as summarized in the hearing materials, put completion at 2037 for UC San Diego, 2041 for UC Riverside, 2053 for UC Santa Barbara and 2089 for 75% of UC Berkeley’s collection. The summary also said 12 of 19 prior recommendations remain open.
Audit findings discussed at the hearing included $3 million in unspent NAGPRA funds at UC Berkeley at the start of fiscal 2024-25, UC Riverside’s $54,000 budgeted versus $8,000 spent, UC Berkeley’s $465,000 budgeted versus $80,000 spent, and an estimated $900,000 shortfall at UC Santa Barbara after reduced funding.
UC Office of the President officials responded that the system finalized a revised NAGPRA policy in 2022 and allocated $3 million to help tribes cover consultation, repatriation and reburial costs. Campus leaders from Berkeley, San Diego, Riverside and Santa Barbara described added staff, more consultations and revised implementation plans.
The hearing did not include a formal vote, but legislators from both parties used the session to push for more measurable campus-by-campus targets and stronger oversight. California Native American Heritage Commission officials said final CalNAGPRA enforcement regulations are in the last stages of adoption and are expected to take effect July 1 of next year.
