Texas Christian University nixes plans for gay student housing

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Texas Christian University will not provide on-campus housing for gay students this fall as previously planned.

“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.”

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.

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.

All others proposed for the fall are no longer being offered, including “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.)