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
PA-3: Participatory Governance

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.75 / 3.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1

Do the institution’s students have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a student council)? :
Yes

Do the institution’s students have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body?:
No

If yes to either of the above, provide:

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which students are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:
The Soka Student Union (SSU) is the undergraduate student body of Soka University. Every undergraduate student at the university is a member of SSU. As a governing body, SSU is composed of voting members. SSU provides the student-body with activities and a forum to discuss school issues. SSU plays a leading role with clubs and organizations. SSU also administers grants awarded to individual students and/or student groups to assist projects. The elected officers will assist in the facilitation of student elections, manage the budget for student activities and represent the student body in university governance committees. The Soka Student Union (SSU) Executive Council consists of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Attorney General who are elected by the student body at the end of each academic year. It is the administrative body that coordinates and supports activities of the SSU and SSU standing departments and committees. Its major function also includes representing the entire student body and ensuring that their voices are heard and reflected in all levels of the university decision making process.

Do the institution’s staff members have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a staff council)?:
Yes

Do the institution’s non-supervisory staff members have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body?:
No

If yes to either of the above, provide:

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which staff are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:
University Life Committee: A campus-wide committee composed of representative students, faculty, and staff that hears issues and concerns and, after its own fact-finding, recommends to the President, where appropriate, policies that have an impact on the campus community as a whole. The ULC does not make or enforce campus-wide policies but provides broad-based input and recommendation to the President on the issues that come before it. ULC Committee Members:  Chair: Dean of Students  Two Staff: Elected by staff for a two-year term  Two Faculty: Appointed by Dean of Faculty for a two-year term  Two Undergraduate Students: SSU President, SSU Attorney General

Do the institution’s teaching and research faculty have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a faculty senate)?:
Yes

Do the institution’s teaching and research faculty have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body? :
No

If yes to either of the above, provide:

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which teaching and research faculty are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:
Faculty Executive Council holds faculty meetings and meets with the student Executive Council president and vice president regarding academic affairs.

Part 2

Does the institution have written policies and procedures to identify and engage external stakeholders (i.e. local residents) in land use planning, capital investment projects, and other institutional decisions that affect the community?:
No

A copy of the written policies and procedures:
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The policies and procedures:
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Does the institution have formal participatory or shared governance bodies through which community members representing the interests of the following stakeholder groups can regularly participate in institutional governance?:
Yes or No
Local government and/or educational organizations No
Private sector organizations No
Civil society (e.g. NGOs, NPOs) No

If yes to one or more of the above, provide:

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which external stakeholders are engaged in institutional governance (including information about each stakeholder group selected above):
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Optional Fields 

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
ULC Pocedures.pdf

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.