MISSION STATEMENT

The primary mission of the Yale Biological Anthropology Laboratories (YBAL) is to facilitate and support research and education initiatives, and to manage the collections, equipment and facilities relating to research and teaching in biological anthropology.

The YBAL collections encompass biological, archaeological, and other materials relating to the study and analysis of biological variation and evolution of the Order Primates and the species Homo sapiens. These collections have been assembled via donations, purchase, and research projects. The collections include (a) provenanced specimens collected under scientific conditions from specific contexts whose primary value lies in their research potential, (b) unprovenanced specimens, casts, replicas, and similar items which are maintained specifically as teaching aids. These collections represent taxa and individuals from around the world.

The YBAL maintains these materials in perpetuity for scholarly use and for the benefit of the Yale University students and faculty, and for the benefit of the research community as a whole in accordance with the professional, ethical, and legal standards of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists (AAPA), the International Society of Primatologists (IPS), the Society for American Archaeology (SAA), the American Association of Museums (AAM), and applicable state and federal laws and regulations.

The following policies are instituted in accordance with this mission.

POLICIES

I. Lab Supervision and Faculty Advisors. The YBAL Supervisor is responsible for:  a) collection management, b) facility maintenance, c) equipment and materials purchase and maintenance, and d) research/teaching coordination with faculty and students.  The YBAL supervisor is under the direction and management of the faculty of Biological Anthropology Division of the Department of Anthropology, Yale University.

II. Research and Teaching Collections Access. The YBAL is devoted first and foremost to maintenance and conservation of collections and resources for the purpose of teaching and research.  Access to these materials is provided to Yale University faculty, staff, students, and/or visiting scholars for laboratory research projects that do not conflict with the long-term goals of YBAL maintenance and conservation.  All access is subject to the procedures outlined in the Faculty/Student Use of YBAL Collections Policy.  Yale Undergraduates under the supervision of a faculty sponsor may use the YBAL collections to conduct senior honors or independent research projects as part of their undergraduate training in anthropology and scientific research and professional writing. Yale Graduate students are encouraged to use YBAL collections for their Masters and Ph.D. research.  Priority is given to those research projects that consider the maintenance and conservation priorities of the YBAL. Contact the YBAL Supervisor for more details.

III. Human Remains. The human remains currently curated by the YBAL are subject to the procedures outlined in the Faculty/Student Use of YBAL Collections Policy.  Note that the YBAL does not have any Native American human remains from North America, and remains in compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and associated regulations (25 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.).  Use of human remains for teaching purposes requires a brief tutorial by the YBAL supervisor.  Note that some of the human remains are in fact curated by the Yale Peabody Museum (YPM), but housed at the YBAL.  Access to these specimens may require approval from the YPM Anthropology Collections Manager as well as from the YBAL Supervisor.

IV. External Loans. Short-term external loans of YBAL materials are possible only if a) on-site study is not feasible and b) the external loan does not conflict with the long-term maintenance and conservation mission of the YBAL. All loans must be reviewed and approved by the YBAL Supervisor and Yale Biological Anthropology Division Faculty.  A loan form must be completed and filed with the YBAL before the collection item(s) can be moved.  The YBAL supervisor reserves the right to accept or reject petitions for loans.  Note that YPM collections are not available for external loans through the YBAL.  Such requests must be made through the YPM.

V. Equipment. The YBAL equipment and supplies are available for use by Yale faculty, staff and students. Procedures for use of equipment are outlined in the YBAL Faculty/Student Use of Equipment Policy.

VI. Department-YBAL Personnel Interaction Restrictions. The duties of the YBAL Supervisor are limited to the research, maintenance, curatorial, and records-keeping responsibilities detailed above. All other faculty, staff, or student needs outside the purview of the YBAL collections, facilities, and equipment are the responsibility of those faculty, staff, and students.

VII. Laboratory Use. The YBAL maintains laboratory space, facilities, and equipment assigned to it by the Yale Department of Anthropology Chair. Decisions concerning that space and those facilities and equipment are at the discretion of the Anthropology Department Chairperson, Biological Anthropology Division Faculty, and the YBAL Supervisor.