
Texas Christian University (TCU) halted plans to create special housing or learning communities" for Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) students and their straight supporters. TCU would have been the first university in Texas to specialize student housing based on sexual orientation with inclusion to the straight students who support the LGBT community.
In a prepared statement TCU Chancellor Victor J. Boschini Jr. explained that TCU will not launch any new living learning communities at this time...instead we will assess whether the concept of housing residential students based on themes supports the academic mission of the institution as well as our objective to provide a total university experience.
TCU is already home to an array of learning communities" to allow students to live with like minded peers on campus with regards to issues like leadership and the environment.
Opponents who posted on blogs and Twitter.com say that specializing housing for the LGBT community signals that Texas Christian University openly supports and endorses the idea of homosexuality. Others called the measure a form of segregation.
Boschini further elaborated that Nowell Donovan TCU academic vice chancellor and provost will chair a committee of faculty staff and students to review the concept and make recommendations for living learning program guidelines. The recommendations will be forwarded to the executive committee of the Board of Trustees who will forward them to the full Board. In the meantime themed housing currently in existence will be allowed to continue until new guidelines have been determined."
Texas Christian University is a private university with over 8600 undergraduate and graduate students. TCUs mission statement is to to educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community."
The University will maintain its long-standing commitment to the inclusiveness of all people. To that end our numerous and diverse support groups will continue to play a vital role on our campus"
concluded Boschini.
The Associated Press reported that eight students had already signed up for the LGBT learning communities" to kick off the program.