The University of California, Davis, has established a Native American Studies department, the first such department in California and in the UC system, and one of only a few at major universities nationwide. The creation of the department, from an existing Native American Studies program, will be announced by UC Davis Provost Larry Vanderhoef at noon today in Freeborn Hall. The announcement will precede an address by Wilma Mankiller, principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, who is making several presentations today at UC Davis. UC Davis officials cite compelling reasons for the more than 20-year-old program becoming a department, including its academic strength, international reputation, increasing student interest, faculty excellence and well-placed geographical location for the study of Native American culture. UC President Jack Peltason approved the department status late last month. "The Native American Studies program was one of the two strongest in the country, and with its growing international reputation, there was a very good case for making it into a department," said Peter Dale, acting vice provost for academic programs and dean of undergraduate studies. Located in the College of Letters and Science, the department has six faculty members, two emeriti professors and one lecturer. Among Native American Studies faculty research and teaching interests are the study of Mayan civilization, ethnohistory of native people in Middle and South America, and native higher education, art and literature. "I am absolutely delighted with the growth, quality of faculty and programs and the national stature Native American Studies has achieved," said Robert Crummey, dean of the College of Letters and Science. "The achievement of departmental status is an important statement about the strength of the program, reflecting its maturity as an academic program. "The vision of the department is unusual in that it deals with the indigenous experience throughout the Americas," Crummey said. Native American Studies faculty at UC Davis "pioneered the hemispheric approach to studying indigenous people, believing that much of the culture has a common thread and that existing nation-state boundaries cut across native nationalities," said Jack Forbes, faculty member and director of Native American Studies. "We take a holistic approach," Forbes said, describing an interdisciplinary approach to the history, culture, art, language, literature and society of all Native Americans. In addition to their teaching and research, UC Davis Native American Studies faculty are also very involved in the surrounding community. "We have the Gorman Museum, which reaches out to the campus and entire native art world. And Native American Studies faculty played key roles in the development of DQ University," an Indian-controlled community college west of Davis, Forbes said. The success of the program and future achievements of the Native American Studies department, Forbes said, can and will be traced to the "quality of the people we've brought together. They are willing to work for the benefit of the program and the campus as well as to pursue individual scholarly careers and to be excellent teachers."