Sustainability Groups
Campus Sustainability Committee
In 2010, the Sustainability Committee was created as a means for all areas of the campus community to engage in dialogue regarding campus sustainability. This committee helps provide a centralized forum by which students, faculty, and staff can examine how to continue improving and fulfilling the university principle of fostering leaders for the creative coexistence of nature and humanity.
- Tsuneo Yabusaki | Chair of the Campus Sustainability Committee, Director of Administration
- Archibald E. Asawa | VP of Finance & Administration
- Chintan Amin, MS | Director of Environmental Health & Safety
- Scott Collins | Operations Manager, Facility Service Partners
- Brian Durick, MS | Director of Student Services
- Tom Harkenrider, P.E. | Chief of Operations
- M. Robert Hamersley, PhD | Dean of Faculty, Professor of Environmental Biogeochemistry
- Danny McNamara | President, Sequoia Environmental Services, Inc.
- Michelle Hobby-Mears, MBA | Associate Dean of Students, Director of Student Activities
- John Min, MBA, P.E. | Chief Information Officer
- Hyon J. Moon, EDD | Dean of Students
- Mal Thomas | Managing Partner, Facility Service Partners
- Wilnie Merilien | Residence Hall Coordinator
- Alvaro Ruiz | General Manager, Bon Appetit
- Bryan Penprase | Vice President for Sponsored Research and External Academic Relations
- Don Hodgson | Director of Security
- Khue Nguyen (Class of 2026)
- Raven Gellerman (Class of 2026)
- Mareva Dijoux (Class of 2026)
- Aliya Cherikova (Class of 2027)
- Masaaki Ikeda (Class of 2028)
Student Sustainability Committee
Student Sustainability Committee Chairs (SSCC) coordinate with students and the administration to strive towards the goal of making Soka more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Acting as a voice from the student body, the SSCC organizes initiatives such as the Tupperware Box Program to address sustainability-related issues on campus.
The SSCC researches the current activities and management systems that take part in student life and analyzes their sustainability aspect. At the same time, the SSCC meets with school faculty, staff, and administration to bring their expertise to figure out solutions. Finally, the SSCC coordinates with students to take initiatives on implementing plans and organizing activities regarding sustainability.
Select Sustainability Achievements
Improved sustainable campus environment
- California Native Plant Garden
- Turf conversion and increase in drought-tolerant and native plants used in landscaping
- Transition to Integrated Pest Management
- Soka Instructional Garden (SIG)
- Addition of electric hand dryers to replace paper towel usage
- Installation of water bottle filling stations in the library
- Conversion from gas to electric operated facilities and landscaping equipment
- AASHE STARS Silver Rating (2025)
Student Sustainability Educators
The Student Sustainability Educator’s (SSE) role is to foster a culture of care for both people and the planet among students.
SSE Objectives
The SSE will receive training and resources to become a leader for sustainability; organize activities, projects, and educational communications that support environmental awareness and social justice at SUA; establish connections with students to promote their role awareness in the community; create programs and events to assist students in learning relevant and easy strategies for living sustainably on campus; and conduct research about a different topic along with strategies to share.
Current Student Sustainability Educators
The current student sustainability educators are Khue Nguyen (Class of 2026), Raven Gellerman (Class of 2026), Mareva Dijoux (Class of 2026), Aliya Cherikova (Class of 2027), and Masaaki Ikeda (Class of 2028).
Students’ Engagement in Sustainability
In 2022, sustainability educators have formed “Sustainability Group” for creating the opportunity for students to contribute to sustainable SUA in many ways: attending climate conferences, holding an Amazon sustainability tour, giving suggestions during meetings, planning and supporting zero waste events, developing and promoting projects etc. Some activities include the following.
Sustainability Educators’ Events
Sustainability Educators organize events to improve sustainability awareness about environmental issues.
- Earth-day events
- Waste separation instruction at the cafeteria
- Assisting zero-waste campus events
Earth-day events
Every year in April, SSE organizes earth day events. In 2023, we created a booth to sign environmental petitions, local volunteer opportunities, and organizations to donate to. We also prepared a waste diversion game, an art station to create messages to the planet. We also offered boba tea in reusable cups and compostable straws.
Waste diversion instruction campaigns
SSE organizes waste diversion instruction campaigns in the first week of each semester at the cafeteria to assist students sort waste.
Zero waste event
SSE assists student event organizers to make their event low-waste or zero waste from the event planning phase For example, we suggest event organizers to utilize locally sourced vendors and compostable or recyclable utensils. At the event, we help participants understand which waste goes to which bins. In this way, we aim to make SUA more sustainable.