Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 43.94
Liaison Tsuneo Yabusaki
Submission Date June 5, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Soka University of America
EN-10: Community Partnerships

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Wendy Harder
Director, Community Relations
Community Relations
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

1st Partnership 

Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability :
Compost/Recycling Partnership with the City of Aliso Viejo

Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? :
Yes

Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe?:
Multi-year or ongoing

Which of the following best describes the partnership’s sustainability focus?:
The partnership supports at least one, but not all three, dimensions of sustainability

Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners in strategic planning, decision-making, implementation and review? (Yes, No, or Not Sure):
Not Sure

A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability, including website URL (if available) and information to support each affirmative response above:
For the past ten years, Soka University has partnered with the City of Aliso Viejo by providing space and resources for a Shredding/Electronic Recyling Day (to recycle paper and protect community residents from identity theft and recycle electronic waste,) and a Compost Day to recycle Christmas trees and tree cuttings and benefit gardens in the community.

2nd Partnership

Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
City of Aliso Viejo Trails & Clean Up Day

Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (2nd partnership):
Yes

Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (2nd partnership):
Multi-year or ongoing

Which of the following best describes the partnership’s sustainability focus? (2nd partnership):
The partnership supports at least one, but not all three, dimensions of sustainability

Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners in strategic planning, decision-making, implementation and review? (2nd partnership) (Yes, No, or Not Sure):
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability, including website URL (if available) and information to support each affirmative response above (2nd partnership):
Soka University staff and students have been volunteering for over 15 years at the annual Inner Coastal Clean Up Day in September to remove tons of trash from Aliso Creek and surrounding trails.

3rd Partnership 

Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
Alternative Spring Break

Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Yes

Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (3rd partnership):
Multi-year or ongoing

Which of the following best describes the partnership’s sustainability focus? (3rd partnership):
The partnership simultaneously supports social equity and wellbeing, economic prosperity, and ecological health

Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners in strategic planning, decision-making, implementation and review? (3rd partnership) (Yes, No, or Unknown):
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability, including website URL (if available) and information to support each affirmative response above (3rd partnership):
Every year SUA students volunteer to spend their Spring Break working one-on-one with those in need. This year they conducted car washes to earn their way to South Dakota to partner with Habitat for Humanity in building homes on a reservation. In the past they have worked around the US -- including making sandwiches in a kitchen for the homeless in Washington DC and helping victims of Hurricane Katrina clean up their homes.

Optional Fields 

A brief description of the institution’s other community partnerships to advance sustainability:
Soka University's Track Team spends Spring Break volunteering at the Mercy Warehouse Thrift Store in Laguna Niguel, cleaning and sorting clothes to help provide, clothing, food and shelter for the disadvantaged. For over 15 years Soka's Annual International Festival has provided free space to Orange County Oil-Recycling and City of Aliso Viejo Environmental Office for their outreach to over 9,000 community residents. Every year Soka hosts the Down Syndrome Association Bike Camp for young disabled riders to learn how to ride on two wheels. This camp reaches out to families to help them include their children in healthy, non-polluting activities.

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
http://www.soka.edu/about_soka/our_campus/scrapbook/alternative-spring-break.aspx

Additional documentation to support the submission:
OC Register Soka students prep for Alt Spr Break 13313.docx

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/volunteers-181454-trash-aliso.html http://www.ocregister.com/news/beach-371851-clean-volunteers.html?pic=2 http://www.cityofalisoviejo.com/uncategorized/free-compost-giveaway-for-aliso-viejo-residents-april-25-2/ https://www.generosity.com/community-fundraising/soka-alternative-spring-break-the-heart-to-serve--2

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