"No, I would not recommend this university to a friend"

"I worked at Soka University full-time

Pros – Students are quite focused on learning and not distracted by either intercollegiate sports or binge drinking. Facilities are quite new. Soka Bistro's food is excellent.

Cons – Non-Soka Gakkai (SGI) believers are shut out of believers' meetings where the most important decisions are made behind closed doors; it's sort of like a small theocracy or communist party ruled regime. University President more likely to eulogize SGI Great Leader Ikeda than to discuss issues of academic significance. Curriculum is very rigid with fewer electives for students to choose from. Students are required to live in on-campus dorms all 4 years: infantilization. A large proportion of students come from feeder SGI high schools, many in Japan; certain ideas such as doubts about the SGI doctrine are verboten.

Advice to Senior Management – Decide whether Soka University is in large part a religious monument to Founder Ikeda of Soka Gakkai International or whether it is a bona fide university that upholds free inquiry and true faculty governance. If SUA is indeed a monument to Mr. Ikeda, then do not claim that it is a non-sectarian university. If it is not, then outlaw on-campus meetings in which only SGI members are welcome to attend.