BLACKSBURG, Va. – Virginia Tech plans to eliminate living-learning communities (LLCs) on campus: the Ujima House for Africana studies and the Lavender House for LGBTQ+ students, starting fall 2026.
Members of these communities were informed in September that they would need to find alternative housing options for the upcoming academic year.
“We made this decision to strengthen those academic programs and to provide programs and living learning programs that are valuable for all of our students,” said Mark Owczarski, university spokesperson.
Many online have raised concerns that this could be a part of the push away from Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs. President Trump threatened to withhold funding from universities that didn’t do away with those types of programs several times this year. The university did not go as far as to outright deny the claim, but offered a different reason for closing the two communities.
“I can understand what you’re reading online, but what we’re trying to do is improve residential programs as well as academic programs,” Owczarski said.
The announcement has sparked concern among current LLC residents. Sydni Mason, who lives in the Ujima LLC, describes the communities as vital support systems.
“It really helps to have that sense of community, and people have similar upbringings as you and people have experienced the same thing you have,” said Mason, who joined the LLC after her freshman year.
Mason, who considers her fellow LLC members as family, added, “To not have that anymore just changes your college experiences. I know it’s impacted mine from the months and a half I’ve been in Ujima, so it’s just really hard to hear about and experience.”
While the university hasn’t specified which living-learning communities will replace the eliminated programs, officials indicate that at least one new community will be established by next fall.