Repatriation Laws and Procedures

In 1990, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) was passed by Congress. To comply with NAGPRA, any institution that accepts Federal funding and is in possession of Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony, are required to return items back to the Federally recognized lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations.

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The California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 2001 (CalNAGPRA) established that all California institutions that receive State funding and are in possession of Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony, are required to return items back to the unrecognized Indian Tribes of California.

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CSUMB is currently in the Consultation process.

Consultation: As defined under federal NAGPRA 43 C.F.R. §10.2 and CalNAGPRA §8012(e) means the exchange of information, open discussion, and joint deliberations made between all parties in good-faith and in order to:

(1) Seek, discuss, and consider the views of all parties;

(2) Strive for consensus, agreement, or mutually acceptable alternatives; and

(3) Enable meaningful consideration of the Native American traditional knowledge of lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations.

Federal and State Notices
CSUMB is actively consulting with culturally affiliated and potentially affiliated Tribes to complete and update inventories and summaries of Native American Ancestral Remains and cultural items in the university’s possession.

Inventories and summaries submitted to the California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) are publicly available on the NAHC CalNAGPRA Inventory and Summary Database.

Submissions made to the National NAGPRA Program can be accessed through the National NAGPRA Notices & Inventories Database.

Notice of Intended Repatriation (NIR) - 10/01/2025

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/10/01/2025-19122/notice-of-intended-repatriation-california-state-university-monterey-bay-seaside-ca

This confidential form is for reporting concerns about potential violations of the NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA at Cal State Monterey Bay.

Confidential NAGPRA Reporting Form

Tribes or lineal descendants may appeal a campus determinations regarding: 

• Identification
• Repatriation or Transfer of Human Remains or Cultural Items
• Identification of Human Remains or Cultural Items
• Repatriation or transfer decisions

Appeals should include a written explanation and any supporting documentation, submitted to the Cultural Heritage Office. The appeal will be reviewed in accordance with CSU policy and applicable laws.

Jordan Leininger
Building 508
100 Campus Center
Seaside, CA 93955

Or via email at jleininger@csumb.edu

Cal State Monterey Bay maintains a Campus NAGPRA Committee in accordance with the CSU Systemwide Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Policy. The committee supports the university’s responsibilities related to the care, consultation and repatriation of Native American Ancestral Remains and Cultural Items.

The Campus NAGPRA Committee is established through the California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) and includes representatives appointed in accordance with state and CSU requirements.

Current committee membership

• Tribal representative (non-federally recognized): Tom Little Bear Nason, Esselen Tribe of Monterey County (appointed Nov. 7, 2024)
• Tribal representative (federally recognized): Vacant
• Tribal representative (federally recognized): Vacant
• Tribal representative (federally recognized): Vacant
• CSU representative: Nizhoni Chow-Garcia (appointed Nov. 7, 2024)
• CSU representative: Vacant
• CSU Native American studies representative: Vacant

Information about the committee is available on the Cal State Monterey Bay Campus NAGPRA Committee webpage.

Please check the California Native American Heritage Commission website to view filled and vacant positions for the CSU Systemwide Committee and each CSU Campus Committee:

• CSU Systemwide Committee
• CSU Campus Committees

Tribal representatives interested in serving on the Campus NAGPRA Committee may apply through the CSU systemwide process administered by the NAHC. Additional information and application instructions are available on the CSU NAGPRA Committees application information page.

For questions about the Campus NAGPRA Committee or its role, contact the Cultural Heritage Office.