An LGBT student group at New York University, NYU OUTLaw, is questioning the University's decision to hire a visiting professor from Singapore to teach human rights law who has vocally opposed LGBT rights. Professor Thio Li-ann has said that homosexuals can change their sexual orientations and that homosexual acts should be treated as crimes in Singapore. After online outreach to the NYU student body, NYU OUTlaw issued a statement on Wednesday asking the administration to condemn Dr. Thio’s views but not to rescind the job offer. The statement said that the group "thinks it best to fight Dr. Thio's offensive views not by silencing her but by engaging in a respectful and productive dialogue about the boundaries of human rights." The group went on to say that it plans to hold events to discuss academic freedom issues, LGBT rights and human rights in Asia in the fall semester.

More from Inside Higher Education on the initial controversy
More from Inside Higher Education on OUTLaw’s statement