August 6th, 2020
Juro Otsuka
Vice President of Academic Affairs


Dear Students at Sophia University,

Thank you for your participation in the survey regarding online classes. 3,511 students − about a quarter of the entire student population − responded. The following is a summary of the results.

Overall, students in their sophomore year and beyond in particular tended to find the online classes as effective and satisfactory. Many are pointing out their advantages: “I can take classes at my own pace” and “I did not have to go to campus.”

On the other hand, a number of students regardless of year replied that “there is too much homework.” The university recognizes your concerns, including those regarding the heavy workload. Your feedback was reported to each faculty/department in early July and will continue to be discussed by faculty and staff members among issues to be considered in preparation for the fall.

Furthermore, many first year students expressed feelings of isolation since they cannot study with classmates. We understand that many of you may feel anxious about the fact that you have not yet been able to come to campus since your entrance to university and have not been able to experience the campus life that you had anticipated. The university takes your concerns seriously and is currently looking into the possibility of offering a variety of alternative programs on campus while taking necessary safety measures into consideration.

We have received other feedback, which will be shared among faculty and staff members and discussed to seek possible solutions.

You can see the results of the survey on the Loyola “University Bulletin Board”.