Jack Broughton came up last week for a seminar presentation, and I went out to dinner with him, Karen Lupo, Dave Schmitt, Tim Kohler, and others. They were quizzing me on the situation surrounding the Antiquities Section firings, and I was doing pretty well until they asked, "So, without a state archaeologist, who's overseeing the work in Utah?" I was stumped.
I asked this of Dr. Yoder in an email the other day, but I'd like to get everybody's thoughts. With all the crap that's gone down surrounding archaeology in the state of Utah over the past while, who really is in charge now? Everything is so fractured and fragmented now. (Kudos to the powers that be. Your plan to trivialize Utah's cultural resources even further has worked beautifully.)
My top three archaeologists in descending order of influence/authority/etc: Dave Yoder--Chief PLPCO Archaeologist, Lori Hunsaker--Deputy SHPO, Jim Allison--UPAC President and actual practicing archaeologist (no offense, Dave).
Am I missing anyone? I know there are others with more tenure and experience in the state. In any case, we all know it's a pretty screwed up time right now. (Our own department isn't flying the flag that high, either, from what I've been hearing.) But, for as low-key and laid-back as I am (I might have one lonely activist bone in my body), these kinds of problems actually make me want to work in Utah to try and fix what appears to be a really messed-up situation.
Thoughts?
2 comments:
I recently had Barb Roth and Karen Harry ask me similar questions, Brad. I'm not sure who has the "final say" in all things archaeological in Utah, now.
that's easy to answer. Herberts Corporate cronies. Ha..
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