Office of Tribal Relations

Welcome

Welcome to the Office of Tribal Relations website. The office was created by CSUSB President Tomás Morales to increase enrollment of Native Americans at CSUSB and to create opportunities for American Indians throughout the world of higher education. The office seeks to promote Native American perspectives across campus, promote safe spaces, and provide support for overcoming any challenges that our students might encounter. In collaboration with numerous departments, the Office of Tribal Relations, the Santos Manuel Student Union, and the Office of Outreach and Student Recruitment are here to assist you throughout your educational journey at CSUSB.

What is a Land Acknowledgment?

A Land Acknowledgement is a formal statement that recognizes and respects Indigenous peoples as traditional stewards of a given geographic area and the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous peoples and their ancestral territories.

CSUSB Land Acknowledgement:

We recognize that the campuses of California State University, San Bernardino each sit on unceded Indigenous ancestral homelands.

For San Bernardino: the land of the Gabrieleno (Tongva) peoples, Chemehuevi (Nuwu) peoples, Serrano (Maara’yam) peoples, and the federally recognized land of the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation.

For Palm Desert: the land of the Cahuilla (‘Ivilluwenetem) peoples and the federally recognized land of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.

We recognize that every member of the CSUSB community has benefitted and continues to benefit from the use and occupation of this land since the institution’s founding in 1965.

Consistent with our values of community and diversity, we are responsible for acknowledging and making the university’s relationship with Indigenous peoples visible.

By offering this Land Acknowledgement, we affirm Indigenous sovereignty and will work to hold California State University, San Bernardino more accountable to the needs of American Indians and Indigenous peoples.

This Land Acknowledgement has been developed by Indigenous peoples with the oversight and approval of tribal elders from these respective tribes to ensure Native American and Indigenous collaboration in higher education.

Native Lands

CSUSB wants to ensure that we are supporting the efforts of our Native communities and preparing students to receive educational and technical abilities, which directly translate into strong skill sets to transition into fruitful careers. As such, the Native American Advisory Board was established. The board consists of campus staff, faculty and community members who advise the Office of Tribal Relations. Their collective expertise provides input into decision-making impacting Native American affairs on campus and in the surrounding community.