Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 50.71
Liaison Lisa Kawai
Submission Date June 22, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Soka University of America
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.58 / 3.00 Katherine King
Director of Human Resources
Human Resources
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have a publicly posted non-discrimination statement? :
Yes

The non-discrimination statement, including the website URL where the policy is publicly accessible:

Soka University of America does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, national or ethnic origin, citizenship, religious creed, sex or gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, status as a disabled veteran, marital status, medical condition, genetic information or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local law in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarships and loan programs, athletic programs, other university-administered programs and activities and university employment and related activities. Sexual harassment and sexual violence are types of sex discrimination. This policy applies to conduct on and off campus and protects students, faculty, staff and others.

http://www.soka.edu/administration/finance-and-administration/human-resources/notice-of-non-discrimination-policy.aspx


Does the institution have a discrimination response protocol or committee (sometimes called a bias response team) to respond to and support those who have experienced or witnessed a bias incident, act of discrimination or hate crime?:
No

A brief description of the institution’s discrimination response protocol or team (including examples of actions taken during the previous three years):
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Does the institution have programs specifically designed to recruit students from underrepresented groups?:
Yes

Does the institution have programs specifically designed to recruit staff from underrepresented groups?:
No

Does the institution have programs specifically designed to recruit faculty from underrepresented groups?:
No

A brief description of the institution’s programs to recruit students, staff and/or faculty from underrepresented groups:

Soka University's Office of Admission retains a full time staff member who's primary responsibility is to implement various aspects of a strategic recruitment plan which targets the support for traditionally underrepresented groups. This individual is responsible for developing and implementing outreach strategies with the intent of providing pre-enrollment advising for prospective students interested in attending SUA. The Assistant Director of Admissions and Outreach responds to all forms of inquiries regarding the college’s programs and services for students, parents, and forms partnerships with community based organizations on behalf of the university. This person also reports frequently to the Office of Admission staff on demographic changes impacting the landscape of higher education and access policies that focus on recruiting underrepresented student groups. Soka University launched Critical Conversations, a community speaker series aimed at raising awareness about pressing social and environmental issues. The speaker series often features key people, ideas and organizations that are changing the world. Soka often invites high school groups in the surrounding area and offers free general admission for students to participate in discussions.


Does the institution have mentoring, counseling, peer support, academic support, or other programs to support students from underrepresented groups on campus?:
Yes

Does the institution have mentoring, counseling, peer support or other programs to support staff from underrepresented groups on campus?:
No

Does the institution have mentoring, counseling, peer support or other programs to support faculty from underrepresented groups on campus?:
No

A brief description of the institution’s programs to support students, staff and/or faculty from underrepresented groups:

The University has counseling, academic coaching and other programs that help any student needing assistance, including underrepresented groups.

Student Affairs provides support for first-generation undergraduate students through one on one mentoring and group activities. Student Affairs sponsors a variety of events to promote college success and serves to address the specific needs of first-generation students.


Does the institution have training and development programs, teaching fellowships and/or other programs that specifically aim to support and prepare students from underrepresented groups for careers as faculty members?:
No

A brief description of the institution’s programs to support and prepare students from underrepresented groups for careers as faculty members:
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Does the institution produce a publicly accessible inventory of gender-neutral bathrooms on campus?:
No

Does the institution offer housing options to accommodate the special needs of transgender and transitioning students?:
No

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