|
Texas (USA): Texas Christian University will not
provide on-campus housing for gay students this fall as
previously planned, officials said.
"TCU will not launch any new living learning communities
at this time," TCU Chancellor Victor J. Boschini Jr.
said in a statement. "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."
He added that TCU "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."
The DiversCity Q community was to open this fall in some
campus apartments for lesbian, gay,
 bisexual
and transgender students as well as their heterosexual
classmates who support them.
Eight students had signed up so far, said Shelly
Newkirk, the TCU sophomore who applied to create the
program.
It would have been part of TCU's living learning
communities, designed for those who want to live with
like minded students. TCU already has several such
communities that will not change, such as one for
students who want to become leaders, for those
interested in the environment and for healthy living
enthusiasts, said TCU spokeswoman Tracy Syler-Jones.
All others proposed for the fall are no longer being
offered, in addition to the diversity community:
"patriotism," "marine life," "creativity and the arts,"
"Christian perspectives and service" and "community
service and teamwork." TCU, a private university with
about 7,500 undergraduate students, is associated with
the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a community
embracing both faith and reason, according to the
school's Web site.
|
