Columbia University officials release statement on Twitter use and hate crime

Columbia University released a statement denouncing hate crime in light of Columbia defensive lineman Chad Washington being charged with a hate crime this week.

CBSSports.com reports that Washington was arrested for allegedly threatening and physically harassing an Asian student last Saturday night. The New York City Police Department along with Columbia officials are investigating to determine if other students were involved.

WKCR Sports published screen caps of racist, sexist and homophobic Twitter posts from members of the Columbia football team.  Forty-six images were compiled by WKCR and posted on the Internet (WARNING: Images are NSFW).

The school's athletic director called the acts "inexcusable" and called for "swift action for all incidents relating to harassment, mistreatment and hateful language based on race, gender, sexual orientation, affiliation or other identities."

"These comments are not representative of the more than 700 Columbia undergraduate students who participate in our athletics program, or the coaches, administrators and staff who serve the University and our campus community," athletic director M. Dianne Murphy and head football coach Pete Mangurian said in a joint statement. "Columbia Athletics is steadfast in its support of, and appreciation for, diversity on campus and in the world around us. Personal expressions of racism, sexism, homophobia, anti-Semitism and any other form of bigotry are abhorrent. This is disheartening and embarrassing for everyone involved. We respect and support the University's goals and ideals of acceptance and tolerance of all members of the campus community."