Asm. Ramos stands at a press conference last week addressing UC’s ongoing failure to return Native American remains to tribes / Courtesy Photo
Statewide — California Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland) is criticizing the University of California for failing to return thousands of Native American human remains and sacred artifacts, despite federal and state laws requiring repatriation.
Top UC officials will faced lawmakers Aug. 26 over these failures in a joint hearing at the Capitol Annex Building in Sacramento. Legislators plannned to press the university for clear timelines, warning they may consider stricter oversight if progress is not made.
Ramos, chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Native American Affairs, will lead the hearing alongside Assemblymember John Harabedian (D-Sierra Madre), chair of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. The session, will include testimony from UC leaders and tribal representatives.
Three audits since 2019, including one released in April, found UC campuses have repeatedly missed deadlines under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and its California counterpart. The laws have been on the books for decades.
“The university lacks the accountability and urgency needed to promptly return Native American remains and cultural items,” the April audit said. It cited poor oversight, incomplete records, and mismanagement of funds intended to help tribes recover ancestral remains.
Representing UC will be Katherine Newman, provost in the Office of the President; Rich Lyons, chancellor of UC Berkeley; and campus repatriation coordinators. Tribal leaders scheduled to testify include Leo Sisco of the Tachi Yokut Tribe, Mary Ann Carbone of the Ventura Chumash, John Potter Jr. of Redding Rancheria, Valentin Lopez of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, and Lester “Shine” Nieto of the Tule River Tribe.
The audit reported that UC still holds remains of thousands of individuals and hundreds of thousands of cultural items, some of which have been stolen or mishandled. It also found that UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, and UC San Diego repeatedly failed to spend NAGPRA funds, carrying them over year after year rather than using them to support tribal repatriation efforts.
Auditors suggested lawmakers consider placing conditions on UC’s state funding to force compliance. The scheduled hearing is expected to test whether UC leadership will set clear timelines or risk stricter legislative action.
Assemblymember James C. Ramos is the first California Native American state lawmaker (elected 2018) and represents the 45th District (Fontana, Highland, Mentone, Redlands, Rialto, San Bernardino). He chairs Assembly Budget Subcommittee #6 (Public Safety), the California Legislative Native American Caucus, and select committees on Native American Affairs and Youth Homelessness (SB County); formerly chaired Military & Veterans Affairs and the Inland Empire Caucus.
A Serrano/Cahuilla tribal member from the San Manuel Indian Reservation, he rose from humble beginnings to earn an A.A. (Victor Valley College), B.S. in Accounting (CSUSB), and MBA (University of Redlands).
Ramos is a former San Bernardino County Supervisor (Chair, 2015–2017) and the first Native American to serve on the State Board of Education, SBCCD Board of Trustees, and the County Board of Supervisors. He also served as Chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, co-founded its Cultural Awareness Program, and directs the California Indian Cultural Awareness Conference at CSUSB.
______
Article By: Bo Tefu, California Black Media
