TO: Campus Community
FR: Emily F. Cutrer, Interim President
Sonoma State University is fully committed to complying with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and the California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (CalNAGPRA). These laws are essential in addressing long-standing injustices and in supporting the sovereign rights of Tribal Nations. It is critical to SSU’s ability to be more efficient in its repatriation activities, and be respectful to our tribal partners and their communities, that newly discovered remains and cultural items remain with those discovering them, or a repository other than SSU be found unless SSU is asked by a Tribal Nation to act as the repository for those remains and cultural items. Only under those conditions will SSU take on new remains and cultural items as we respectfully repatriate those now in the university’s possession.
In 2024, the Office of Tribal Relations was created to oversee the campus NAGPRA program and to build strong, lasting relationships with local Tribal Nations. This work is urgent and ongoing. We must continue to reckon with the historical harms endured by Native American communities and do our part to facilitate meaningful repair and reconciliation. Elise-Alexandria Green is SSU’s Director of Tribal Relations, reporting directly to the University President and working in concert with regional tribes and the California State University (CSU) Chancellor’s Office staff on Tribal Relations. Elise is the university lead on NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA compliance and relations.
Sonoma State houses the largest collection of cultural items and Ancestors in the California State University system, with an estimated 1.5 million items and 209 Ancestors in our care. As Interim President, I am committed to advancing the respectful and responsible return of these items to their rightful communities. It is important that this work remain efficient, consistent with policy, and respectful to our regional tribes and beyond.
As of July 1, 2025, the CSU Interim CSU Systemwide NAGPRA Policy is in effect across all CSU campuses. This policy provides a unified, systemwide approach to repatriation – one that affirms Tribal sovereignty, respects the dignity of Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Ancestors and cultural items, and addresses our legal responsibilities and the historical legacies we must confront.
In alignment with this policy, each campus is required to complete an annual survey to identify any potential Native American cultural items or Ancestors that may fall under NAGPRA or CalNAGPRA.
At Sonoma State, this survey will be distributed via Qualtrics on September 29, 2025 and must be completed by October 29, 2025.
For more information or to submit questions or concerns anonymously, please visit the Office of Tribal Relations website.