Ceremony to Be Held Celebrating Guiding Principles for CSU, Chico and Mechoopda Tribe
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 10, 2005
Joe Wills
530-898-4143
Doug Elmets, Elmets Communications
916-329-9180
Ceremony to Be Held Celebrating Guiding Principles for CSU, Chico and Mechoopda Tribe
A ceremony celebrating guiding principles for California State University, Chico in consultation with the Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria will be held Friday, Oct. 28, at 11 a.m.
The ceremony will take place at CSU, Chico’s Alumni Glen, an area near Holt Hall on the north side of Big Chico Creek that holds historical and cultural significance for the Mechoopda Tribe. The Tribe’s traditional lands encompass the CSU, Chico campus. The event is open to the public.
The ceremony will begin with a welcome from CSU, Chico Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Scott McNall and a prayer blessing offered by a member of the Mechoopda Tribe. Then CSU, Chico President Paul Zingg and Mechoopda Tribal Council Chairman Steve Santos will give remarks before signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the University and the Mechoopda Tribe.
Greg Francis, executive dean and director of facilities planning for CSU, Chico, said the guiding principles document had been in the works for a number of months and is a result of an increasingly close working relationship between the Tribe and the University. Mechoopda Tribe leaders were featured in an April 20 panel presentation at CSU, Chico titled “Chico-Area Native American Experience: Past Present and Future.” Greg White, director of CSU, Chico’s Archaeological Research Program, recently helped the Mechoopda Tribe with the repatriation of burial remains found on a ranch in Chico.
The guiding principles in the document acknowledge that the University and Tribe “seek to consult and work cooperatively to protect, preserve, and manage cultural resources that may be identified on campus lands.” The document calls for both to work on developing a cultural resource plan to effectively manage those resources, and encourages contractors, partners and auxiliaries of the University to follow suit.
“This is truly a historic day, not only for the Mechoopda Indian Tribe and California State University, Chico, but for the City of Chico as well,” said Santos. “We feel this Memorandum of Understanding will continue to further the positive relationship we’ve developed with the University.”
“Coming together with the University and pledging to work cooperatively moving forward will benefit the entire city as we strive to protect the cultural resources that we hold dear,” said Arlene Ward, cultural coordinator for the Mechoopda Tribe.
“I am extremely pleased to take part in this ceremony and to help further the close relationship between Chico State and the Mechoopda Tribe,” said Zingg. “Common ground and values connect us. The agreement affirms our mutual recognition to this effect and our confidence that this agreement will bring great benefit for the University and the Mechoopda.”
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