Jeffrey H. Altschul, President, Society for American ArchaeologyTobi Brimsek, Executive Director, Society for American ArchaeologyLynne Sebastian, President, Register of Professional Archaeologists

19th Annual Meeting of the European Association of ArchaeologistsPilsen, Czech Republic 2013

� The dilemma The dilemma The dilemma The dilemma posed by CRMposed by CRMposed by CRMposed by CRM◦ Who is qualified?

◦ What standards must be followed?

◦ What ethics must be maintained?

◦ Who decides?

� Society for American Society for American Society for American Society for American ArchaeologyArchaeologyArchaeologyArchaeology◦ Membership

� Society of Professional Society of Professional Society of Professional Society of Professional ArchaeologistsArchaeologistsArchaeologistsArchaeologists

◦ Certification

◦ Accountability

� Research freedom

� Personal vs discipline ethics and standards

� Latin America and US archaeologists

� Public money and the public’s right

� Registration, not Registration, not Registration, not Registration, not certificationcertificationcertificationcertification

� Sponsoring OrganizationsSponsoring OrganizationsSponsoring OrganizationsSponsoring Organizations◦ SAASAASAASAA

◦ Archaeological Institute of Archaeological Institute of Archaeological Institute of Archaeological Institute of

AmericaAmericaAmericaAmerica

◦ Society of Historical Society of Historical Society of Historical Society of Historical ArchaeologyArchaeologyArchaeologyArchaeology

◦ American Anthropological American Anthropological American Anthropological American Anthropological

Association Association Association Association –––– Archaeology Archaeology Archaeology Archaeology DivisionDivisionDivisionDivision

� A voluntary list of archaeologists A voluntary list of archaeologists A voluntary list of archaeologists A voluntary list of archaeologists meeting specific criteria meeting specific criteria meeting specific criteria meeting specific criteria ◦ Advanced degree◦ Evidence to conduct

archaeological research� RPAs explicitly agree to abide byRPAs explicitly agree to abide byRPAs explicitly agree to abide byRPAs explicitly agree to abide by◦ A Code of Ethics◦ Standards of Research

Performance� RPAs agree to be subject to a RPAs agree to be subject to a RPAs agree to be subject to a RPAs agree to be subject to a

grievance processgrievance processgrievance processgrievance process◦ Anyone can bring a grievance

� Society for American Archaeology – 7,000 members

� Registered Professional Archaeologists –2,500

The answer is clearly, “no!”

� Will we ever get all American Archaeologists to Register? Probably not

� Can we get “others” to believe in the Register? Most certainly

◦ The importance of being relevant

� Grievances

� Ethics Training

� Capacity Building