UND President Andrew Armacost says he doesn’t anticipate any criminal or civil penalties will be filed after this week’s disclosure that Native American artifacts and skeletal remains were found on campus.
UND leaders revealed the March discovery during a series of meetings with alumni…faculty…and the media this week.
Under a 1990 federal law the University had a responsibility to return ancestors and sacred objects to their tribal lands.
Armacost says regardless they are committed to righting this wrong. “There are provisions about civic and criminal penalties. Our belief is that those provisions are not triggered by steps we have taken.”
Armacost says some 250 boxes of sacred objects have been discovered to date….but there may be more. “It seems like another week goes by and other items are found somewhere. This is kind of the curse of being on a large campus with old buildings and attics that have been stacked with items for years.”
UND has formed a Compliance Committee to work with tribal representatives in guiding repatriation efforts. Armacost says the process could take years to complete.
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