UC Is Finalizing Its Land-Use Rules Without Involving Directly Impacted Tribes

"UC is circulating its first-ever systemwide framework governing tribal access, co-stewardship, and land-use agreements across 80,000 acres of UC-managed land. The framework was developed by UC Tribal Lands Workgroup, composed entirely of UC staff with no Tribal government representatives, and Tribal advisory bodies were only invited to review the document after it was drafted. Faculty senate divisions and systemwide committees have until May 19 to submit feedback, with the Academic Council taking up the report in its May 27 meeting."

"Though the framework applies systemwide, the document's only visual example is a map of UC Berkeley land holdings overlaid with Indigenous territorial boundaries identifying Ohlone and Karkin territory. Berkeley is only named twice in the document's text, yet its land anchors the document's central illustration. The Tribes whose ancestral territory that map documents were not among those consulted in its development."

"Some California Native leaders say the omission of the Tribes is not an oversight. It reflects a structural problem baked into the framework itself. Native Nations are sovereign nations, and as the U.S. established itself, these Nations agreed in Indian treaties to nation-to-nation relations, not nation-to-state or nation-to-private corporation relations on matters of Tribal governance. "Tribes are not decision makers in governance structures," said Morningstar Gali, organizer with the International Indian Treaty Council and member of the Ajumawi band"

UC circulated its first systemwide framework governing tribal access, co-stewardship, and land-use agreements across about 80,000 acres of UC-managed land. The framework was developed by a UC Tribal Lands Workgroup made up entirely of UC staff, with Tribal advisory bodies invited to review the document only after drafting. Faculty senate divisions and systemwide committees have until May 19 to submit feedback, and the Academic Council will consider the report on May 27. UC-affiliated Native advisory councils are also being consulted. Tribes whose ancestral homelands include UC Berkeley, including the Muwekma Ohlone, are not shown as having been asked. Some Native leaders say the omission reflects a structural problem because tribal governance should be nation-to-nation rather than nation-to-state or nation-to-corporation relations.

Read at Truthout