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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 27, 1998)
Redress sought on remains Treatment of American Indian bones raises concern By Lindsay Young Senior staff writer It all started with the discovery in UNL’s Bessey Hall of possible American Indian remains protected under state and federal laws. Since, it has created a snowball effect, with the unearthing of other incidents that have caused unrest inside and outside of the university community. The University of Nebraska Lincoln may have possession of American Indian remains covered by the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act UNL may have violated the act by studying bones without tribal permis sion, said Priscilla Grew, UNUs NAG PRA committee chairwoman And, on Aug. 15, it was made pub lic that an anthropology department chairman incinerated American Indian remains in the 1960s. In addition, it has come into ques Indian bones reported by an anthro pology professor is a partial result of this incineration, or if, in feet, the uni versity has lost up to 20,000 bones not reported in NAGPRA inventories. The act, signed into law in 1990, required museums, federal agencies and institutions, such as UNL, to inventory human remains and associ ated funerary objects to the National Park Service by November 1995. After that date, die institutions must continue to provide the service with updates. Then, die remains and objects are returned at the request of the tribes affiliated with diem. “We want to return affiliated and unaffiliated remains,” said Grew, who is also the vice chancellor for research. In his state of the university address Friday morning, Chancellor James Moeser addressed die issue. “We will take all appropriate steps to ameliorate past wrongs and to heal our relationships with Native peo ples,” he said. Steps taken to deal with the issues raised by the discoveries include two investigations - one by Lincoln attor ney Robert Grimit and one by the Nebraska State Patrol - to determine whether NAGPRA laws were violated by the university in its storage and study of possible American Indian remains. If it is found laws or university policies have been violated, Moeser will report the violation to appropriate authorities, and disciplinary action will be taken, Grew said. Two reports were done by Peer Moore-Jansen, an independent con sultant who was hired to examine UNCs inventory of human remains in the anthropology department, the University of Nebraska State Museum and other campus units. He is a professor of biological anthropol ogy at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kan. Moore-Jansen said he studied about 1,000 specimens at UNL to determine if they might be eligible for inclusion in the university’s NAGPRA inventory. A specimen ranges from an entire skeleton to one bone, he said. Moore-Jansen said he found that only a small amount of the remains might be eligible for inclusion in UNCs NAGPRA inventory. His reports were submitted to Grimit and the State Patrol for further investigation. In a separate but related issue, talk continues to surround the discovery of the incineration of American Indian bones between 1965-67. Grew said die following is report ed to have happened: The late Preston Holder, then chairman of the anthropology depart ment, believed some collections of human remains had limited research value because of their incomplete condition. He decided the remains should be disposed of. He then asked some graduate stu dents to take the bones, put them in the back of a car and take them to UNLfc East Campus, where they were incinerated in an animal pathology building. The building was tom down in the 1970s. In his Friday address, Moeser said the university is now consulting with tribal leaders around the country to seek advice and counsel on how to “redress this desecration.” Tribal groups, as well as many university officials, have been work ing for the return of the bones to their affiliated tribes from UNL. Moeser said: “Our own Native American faculty and staff have been extremely valuable in helping us learn about how to deal with these sensitive issues.” ASUN chief proposes new student assembly ByIevaAugotums Staffwriter > Students may have more say in stu dent government if ASUN approves student body President Sara Russell’s idea of creating a new student assembly. Russell said there isn’t a good cross section of students within ASUN. “ASUN is heavily dominated by the greeks,” Russell said. “Student govern ment needs representation from every place." Creating a new assembly composed of residence hall, commuter and gredc students would help diversify student government, she said. Russell said the assembly would save as a check and balance to student government Russell also assured that the new assembly would not take away from the University of Nebraska-Lineoln’s Residence Hall Association, hUerfiataiiily Council and PimheBmif. Association. “It gives the university more repre sentation," tiie said. RHA President Ben Wallace agreed. “The assembly will allow for groups not being represented on cam pus to have good representation,” he said. Wallace said the assembly would make ASUN more effective to students because it would give input to overall university concerns. Russell said the assembly would serve as a universal body of residents. “It will deal with issues and con cerns of reskfence halls on a university wide slate,” she said. „ Members of the assembly would have die authority to introduce bills for discussion, Russell said. If passed, tiie bills would advance to the ASUN Executive Committee for committee assignment. The selected committee would then take the legisla tion to the senate floor. During Wednesday^ ASUN senate meeting, Senator Heather Swanson asked if the creation of a new assembly would make it look as though ASUN senators are not doing their jobs. “I was elected to represent my col lege,” Swanson said. “That includes the greeks, residence hall and commuter students” Russell acknowledged Swanson’s concern, but said, “the assembly would just increase representation, not take any away.” Russell will gather input on the idea, which m^see an ASUN vote as early as next week. Russell and Wallace plan to keep lines of communication open between ASUN and RHA “(RHA) will have input, but we will not try to take power away from Sara and the senate,” Wallace said. If created, assembly appointments will be made this M through an appli cation process and go through the ASUN Appointments Board. Next semester, assembly positions would be elected sktehy-sidewitii ASUN senate positions. '* “It’s inherent that the assembly will be elected in the March election,” Russell said. ‘It’s too expensive to hold a special election in the fall.” Russell said a special election costs about $9,000. Wallace supports Russell in the election of a assembly : “With or without (the assembly), tiiere will still be a strong dedication to work,” Wallace said. “RHA and ASUN are both dedicated student bodies sup porting students.” I | D«y Ifem Aft Cmr Sped* Opca | | WiMjf Coon&y 1940w Cow21 ■****»• Ipn-lim | rapi M —H sUStaMn I 1kn% Uptick 1940*a O0«rJl“ Jl.ooweBi Spa-ha S Night *•*■» *&—«* 1 L ; . .. __ 1 5*!!* 2140w* S30w2tf «.wWo Spa-In | $SMnM MkM» J; Sttatoy tMm 2140a* S3 Over21* S2» Spm-lm S BAB SSItaaf I __“______ _A“ __ 1 Sad»y '*mim 1940a OOa21 MoMop tpa-fao l ****** CMjW. ■* j] | IMpiakhvhpa: I a*hr toy] ppkmr a. 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