This toolkit is designed to help students, faculty, and administrators understand and act on their California Community College’s responsibilities to identify, consult on, and return Native American ancestral remains and cultural items currently or historically held by community colleges. Whether you are a native student or not, keeping stolen human remains in a museum or college collection is grotesque, inhumane, and illegal in accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and CalNAGPRA.
NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA require California Community Colleges to return all Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony to the Tribal Nations from which they come. Student leaders play a critical role in ensuring that California’s community colleges uphold their responsibilities to Tribal Nations. The Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC) presents this NAGPRA Toolkit to support campuses in fulfilling their legal and ethical obligations.
It is both a legal obligation and a moral one — rooted in respect for American Indian/Alaska (AI/AN) Native Tribal Nations and the rights of Native American peoples.
This toolkit was crafted by the Student Senate for California Community College’s Tribal Liaison, Jacob Roe, A.A., in collaboration with Christopher T. LaMarr, J.D., Supervisor of the Sierra College Native American Student Support & Success Program (NASSSP). Jacob Roe is an enrolled member of the Georgia Tribe of Eastern Cherokee and a rising scholar of Federal Indian Law. Dr. LaMarr, an enrolled member of the Susanville Indian Rancheria and life-long advocate for Tribal sovereignty, kindly provided his mentorship and expertise on the subject of NAGPRA
The NAGPRA Toolkit includes:
- An in-depth FAQ explaining the history, scope, and application of both federal NAGPRA and California’s CalNAGPRA, as well as best practices for campus action
- Two educational infographics that summarize key facts and responsibilities under the law
- Template advocacy letters, including:
- A request to the CCC Board of Governors to mandate NAGPRA compliance committees statewide
- A campus-level proposal to hire Tribal or community liaisons for NAGPRA committees
- A template letter urging colleges to contract a NAGPRA compliance specialist to support lawful and culturally respectful processes
The following steps will help you activate this toolkit on your campus:
Familiarize Yourself with the Laws and Toolkit Content
Review the FAQ and infographics to understand the legal mandates of NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA, the history of repatriation injustice, and the role your college may already play in this issue.
Use the Advocacy Templates to Advance Compliance
Bring one or more of the included template letters to student government meetings, shared governance committees, or direct administrative discussions. These are ready-made tools to help you push for real structural change.
Advocate for California Tribal Inclusion and Leadership
Support the hiring of Tribal liaisons and consultation with local Tribal Nations on any known or potential holdings. Institutional compliance must be guided by Indigenous leadership, not institutional convenience.
Promote Campus Education and Visibility
Use the infographics and FAQs to educate your student body. Consider organizing a repatriation awareness day, panel discussion, or training session for faculty and staff.
Share Your Progress with SSCCC
Student advocacy is powerful. Your actions can inspire statewide momentum and ensure the NAGPRA Toolkit continues to evolve and support meaningful change.
The recovery and return of Native ancestors and sacred items is not optional. It is required by law, and it is a matter of dignity, sovereignty, and reconciliation. Your leadership can help ensure that our colleges uphold the highest standards of respect for Tribal Nations and communities.
If you have questions or need help implementing this toolkit, please do not hesitate to contact us.