Cultural Resource Management in Practice
ARCHY 469/570
Spring Quarter 2022, W&F 12:00 – 1:20 PM, Burke Museum Classroom
Instructor: Bob Kopperl
Office: Burke Museum Classroom
e-mail: kopperlr@uw.edu
Office Hours: Wednesdays, 1:30-2:30 PM, Office TBD
Cultural resource management, or CRM, is many things. It is a body of laws and regulations at the local, state, federal, and international level with goals of preserving, or at least taking into consideration, our collective heritage – including archaeological resources. It is a practice where consultants, government agencies, affected Tribes, museums, and the public at large interact as decisions are made about historic preservation. It is politics, and its purview is human behavior (not just the past, but the present and future as well). It is an industry, populated mainly by archaeologists, which is only as good as the professionals within its domain. These archaeologists may be working in support of government agencies responsible for compliance with CRM laws, for the proponents of projects subject to CRM laws, with the Tribes with cultural and consulting interests codified by those laws, or in the museums that curate the material and data generated during their compliance. And for the last 50 years, CRM is the primary generator of archaeological data and jobs in most parts of the United States.
Course Description
ARCHY 469 will introduce you to the practice of CRM. It is an introduction in the sense that it assumes you have no prior in-depth knowledge of CRM. Nor will the focus be on the technical aspects of the archaeology that gets done under CRM, although those aspects certainly add interest and will color our class investigations. Case studies of how the CRM process plays out will be a primary means of learning about CRM, and they will tend to be examples from our backyard of Washington State. CRM at an international scale will not be addressed here. Readings and lecture will be part of the class, especially regarding the regulatory context of CRM, but in-class discussion will be an equally important component. Despite cultural resources other than the archaeological record being an integral part of CRM, and will be lightly touched upon in this class, the focus of our case studies will be on archaeology.
Our exploration of CRM will come from a broad range of sources and covers numerous topics. We will:
- Introduce the local, state, and federal laws and regulations that guide CRM.
- Explore the roles of government agencies and SHPOs, Tribes, project proponents, and other stakeholders of the CRM process.
- Learn about the CRM process and how it plays out (or doesn’t play out).
- Examine and discuss past and ongoing high-profile examples of failures of the CRM process.
- Review the CRM industry in terms of potential careers.
- Meet many of the people who take part in the CRM field.
Goals of This Course
You will gain from this course an understanding of how the process of CRM plays out in practice, especially in Washington State and the Pacific Northwest at large, as well as CRM laws and regulations. The lessons we learn from CRM case studies in our own local region give us a greater understanding and appreciation of the ways CRM affects the discipline and the public perception of archaeology. You will also be better versed on these issues however they intersect your life, whether you take this course seeking a career as a CRM professional, wanting to be a more well-rounded archaeologist in another sphere of practice, or living your life as a better-informed citizen of Washington State.
Course Assignments, Tests, and Grading
Much of the information you need to succeed in this course is conveyed by lecture, discussion, and independent readings. Class participation and the content and outcome of our discussions will also figure into your course grades.
Your course grade will be determined as a percentage of 300 points:
- Participation = 14 points (5%)
Although a fair amount of the material presented in this class is lecture-based or independent project work, you are expected to participate by reading the required material, asking pertinent questions in and out of class, and be prepared to discuss the information and ideas brought to the class by your fellow students and myself. Meeting the various deadlines will also factor into your participation grade.
- Canvas Discussion Questions (1 per week, 9 weeks, 4 points per question) = 36 points (12%)
One brief assignment will be given roughly each week for you to answer and post on Canvas, relating to topics at hand on the schedule. One point for showing up to answer the question; up to three points for contributing a complete, well-thought-out answer that adheres to the rules stated with the question.
- Delving Into Deliverables (3 parts during the quarter, 25 points each) = 75 points total (25%)
You will have three linked assignments to produce the “deliverables” that are typical parts of the CRM process based on provided hypothetical scenarios. These kinds of deliverables (scope and budget; background research report; inventory form) are typically produced or reviewed by all CRM practitioners, including consultants and agency and Tribal archaeologists.
- Research Presentation and Written Summary = 150 points (50%)
See accompanying sheet. This involves picking a pertinent topic, writing a brief abstract-like proposal of your research (20 points), giving an in-class presentation on your topic (50 points), and submitting a written summary (80 points).
Required Readings
We will use one textbook for this class:
Tom King (2013), Cultural Resource Laws and Practice, 4th edition. Alta Mira Press, Walnut Creek, CA.
Additional readings may be required each week that complement the topics covered in class, and they are listed on the week-by-week course schedule and will be available on Canvas.
Keys to Success
Office Hours – I maintain my office hours for your benefit. Feel free to come by if you need help with the course material, advice on CRM, or questions you may have about further directions in archaeology for graduate school and a professional career. I may also be available at other times; please contact me if you need help but cannot make my scheduled office hours.
Writing Help – Along with the help I can give you on the process of writing your research paper, there are other resources I encourage you to utilize if you need extra help.
Anthropology Writing Center, 423 Denny Hall, anthwrc@myuw.edu CLUE Writing Center, Mary Gates Hall, clue@uw.edu
Odegaard Writing and Research Center, Odegaard Library, owrc@uw.edu
Other Policies
Academic Integrity – You are expected to follow the guidelines set forth by the University of Washington for students regarding academic honesty in assignments. These are clearly described in: http://depts.washington.edu/grading/pdf/AcademicResponsibility.pdf by the Committee on Academic Conduct of the UW College and Arts and Sciences. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated, and if demonstrated will result in a failing grade. Trust me, the consequences of plagiarism and similar transgressions are bad in an academic setting. They are much, much worse in the professional setting. Best to stay on the right foot from one to the other.
Attendance – If you miss a class, please consult your classmates for notes on the material you missed.
Assignment Due Dates – Late assignments will result in zero credit unless a prior arrangement has been made, or in the case of emergencies. In the real-world of CRM, if you are late with a deadline, you may not get paid, or worse.
Electronic Devices – Please refrain from using cellphones during class – no calling, texting, or accessing the internet. I consider this when I consider your participation grade. If you need to use your laptop to take class notes, that is fine, but please limit your activities on it to class-related ones.
COVID – We are expected to follow all UW COVID safety requirements in class (mask-wearing, not coming to class if you feel sick or test COVID-positive, etc). We will start the quarter, and hopefully complete the quarter, in person but if UW declares a return to remote learning, we’ll muddle through.
Tentative Schedule (Subject to Change)
Week 1-A (3/30/22): A 10,000-foot view of CRM
Introductions and class expectations; Course overview; Setting the stage with a broad-scale introduction to CRM and CRM practice; Archaeology in the public eye through the lens of CRM; the spirit and intent of CRM.
Week 1-B (4/1/22): CRM Regulations and Career Focus – An Introduction
A working knowledge of CRM regulations; Job prospects in CRM in 2022 – a brief introduction; Kinds of CRM jobs; Professional qualifications. RPA, ACRA, and Association for Washington Archaeology; Introduce Final Project [Guest: Jason Cooper, AWA].
Week 2-A (4/6/22): The federal regulatory backbone of CRM
Federal historic preservation regulations – Early efforts; the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP); Meet the federal agencies! Meet the other players! Focus on Section 106 of NHPA – How the process is supposed to go, how it usually goes, and what happens when it goes sideways.
Week 2-B (4/8/22): Federal regulations in practice – NHPA and NEPA case studies
Introduce Delving Into Deliverables Project, Part 1. A closer look at NRHP, ACHP, SHPO; NEPA; ARPA; Examples of the federal CRM process going in unexpected direction.
Week 3-A (4/13/22): CRM at the state level
State historic preservation laws; A closer look at DAHP; Meet the other state agencies! [Guest: Allyson Brooks, DAHP]
Week 3-B (4/15/22): State Regulations in Practice – EO 21-02 and SEPA
A closer look at some examples of the state CRM processes. NOLT RCO-funded project; City of Marysville Ecology-permitted Stormwater; DAHP Excavation Permits; Other state regs (if time) – e.g., Forest Practices Act.
Week 4-A (4/20/22): CRM at the municipal level
Meet the other players – Counties, Cities, Ports, and Public Utilities, oh my! Municipal historic preservation laws; Certified Local Governments; GIS-based sensitivity models.
Week 4-B (4/22/22): Municipal CRM in Practice – King County HPP and other studies managed closer to home;
[Room Change: DEN 313!] Case studies of municipal-level CRM; KC HPP and their CRPP; City of Redmond HRMP; Tacoma Power erosion monitoring; Pierce County, Fairfax Townsite. [Panel Guests: Tom Minichillo, KCRSD; Amber Earley, SCL] [Research Topic Choice Due Today]
Week 5-A (4/27/22): Ancestral remains I
A look at how ancestral remains used to be treated at State level – Treasure Island. How they are treated at the state regulatory level now [Guest: Guy Tasa, DAHP] [Deliverable Part 1 Due Today]
Week 5-B (4/29/22): Ancestral remains II
Continued examination of how ancestral remains are treated at the federal level; NAGPRA and Ancient One. Tse Whit Zen and Semiahmoo case studies.
Week 6-A (5/4/22): Beyond Archaeology – The Built Environment
How the built environment fits into CRM regulations and practice. [Guest: Adam Alsobrook, WillametteCRA]
Week 6-B (5/6/22): Beyond Archaeology – Landscapes, Districts, TCPs
Afognak Village, Olcott Archaeological District, Pioneer Square, Snoqualmie Falls [Project Proposal and Deliverable Part 2 Due Today]
Week 7-A (5/11/22): Tribal Perspectives on CRM
Tribes as consulting parties, sovereign nations, the descendants of those we study, individuals. [Guest Panel – Steven Moses, Snoqualmie Tribe; Sara Gonzalez – UW]
Week 7-B (5/13/22): Museums in CRM; Beyond the archaeological record in CRM
The role(s) of museums in CRM – curation, education, research; Case study - Burton Acres as collaborative CRM [Guest Lecture – Paula Johnson, WillametteCRA]
Week 8-A (5/18/22): So you really want to go into CRM? Careers in this industry
Revisit of job prospects in CRM in 2022; Deeper dive into professional qualifications; Maximizing the rest of your college education to prepare for CRM jobs. [Guest – Brandy Rinck]
Week 8-B (5/20/22): CRM Practitioner Roundtable
Guest Round Table – A buncha CRM consultants (TBD) and Agency/Tribal folks (Paul Alford, Slobo Mitrovic, Gretchen Kaehler, Phil LeTourneau, Emily Peterson).
Week 9-A (5/25/22): No class - Cultural Resource Protection Summit!! [Deliverable Part 3 Due Today]
Week 9-B (5/27/22): Guardians of Our Discipline; Future Prospects of CRM
How do we ensure best practices in our industry? What happens when a practitioner goes off the rails? What does the future of CRM look like? Critical Examination of our industry. Register of Professional Archaeologists, American Cultural Resources Association.
Week 10-A (6/1/22): Wrapping Up – Final Presentations
[Project Presentations; Written Summaries Due Today]
Week 10-B (6/3/22): Wrapping Up – Final Presentations
[Project Presentations, cont.]
Finals Week [No final – Just me grading your research papers]