CALABASAS : Wilson Signs Bill to Change Soka Name

A state bill aimed at preventing Soka University from using the word “university” in its name has been signed into law by Gov. Pete Wilson, but administrators from the Calabasas school said Tuesday that the legislation likely would have little effect.

The legislation, written by Assemblyman Tom Hayden (D-Santa Monica), allows only those private institutions with state authorization to use the designations university or college in their names.

It is specifically aimed at the Japan-based school, which sits on land in the Santa Monica Mountains long coveted by the National Park Service for a visitors center.

“This law would prevent Soka University of Los Angeles from capitalizing on the image benefits it has enjoyed from calling itself a university even though it offers only a few Japanese language classes, grants no degrees,” Hayden said in a prepared statement.

But Soka spokesman Jeff Ourvan said the school applied last week to the Council for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education for accreditation of the school’s language-training program.

Such an approval would allow Soka to continue to use University in its name. If the request is turned down, Ourvan said, Soka may have to drop the word from its name until it develops a full liberal-arts curriculum.