Saint Mary’s University (SMU) has suspended 10 members of its varsity football team for posting offensive tweets, according to university spokesperson Margaret Murphy.
The university is currently investigating the tweets, which contained messages of “hate, racism, and sexism,” the university stated in a press release. Further disciplinary action may be taken following the investigation.
Murphy said the suspensions extend to all team events for the rest of the academic year. The players will be allowed to return in time for the 2014 football season.
She said the university was made aware of the tweets through a Jan. 27 report by UNews, an online publication produced by students at the University of King’s College School of Journalism.
Some of the tweets cited by UNews include messages such as “suck me fag boy,” “beating 2 kids up was fun at the time but not so much now,” and “girls are stupid is what I’m saying here.”
In September 2013, SMU faced criticism for its orientation week due to frosh week chants promoting non-consensual sex with underage girls.
The university released a 110-page report in December 2013, crafted by a president’s council, outlining 20 recommendations to change sexual culture both on campus and abroad.
“The comments posted by these individuals are completely inappropriate and unacceptable,” SMU vice-president (academic and research) David Gauthier said. “They are inconsistent with our university values and with what we have committed to address as recommendations from the President’s Council Report.”
Carleton University athletics director Jennifer Brenning said university staff oversees what Ravens athletes post to Twitter. Brenning said Carleton’s social media policy is outlined at student-athlete orientation at the beginning of the year.
The two-page policy requires student-athletes to abstain from posting offensive comments “including but not limited to comments of a racial, religious or sexual orientation nature, comments pertaining to relationships with general or specific members, comments pertaining to alcohol and/or drug abuse, profanity,” and “derogatory comments towards any identifiable group and/or individual.”
Brenning said any identifiable misconduct on social media by Carleton athletes would result in an investigation.
“I hope that [the SMU suspension] is shared across the country with all student-athletes and students to be aware of what you’re putting on social media,” Brenning said.
