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Marshall Fined For Violating Federal Law Over Indian Remains
By: Associated Press
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – Marshall University has been fined $4,999 for failing to complete inventories of American Indian remains and artifacts in its possession.
The U.S. Department of the Interior notified Marshall President Jerome Gilbert of the fine this week. Marshall has 45 days to pay or appeal the finding that it violated federal law.
The National Park Service administers the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, or NAGPRA. Among other things, it requires museums and universities to disclose Native American items in their possessions and complete item-by-item inventories.
When the 1990 law was passed, Marshall’s inventory was supposed to be completed by late 1995. Twenty more years passed until a retired Marshall employee filed a complaint and the government notified the university of the violation. Marshall completed the inventory in December 2015.