COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The University of Maryland is dealing with a student's claim that she was harassed in class because of her ethnicity.

The alleged exchange happened in a class at the Computer Science Instructional center.

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The student, who is Asian American and part of a martial arts team, said she brought a decorative sword to class because she had practice afterward.

The student said the sword is used for ceremonial purposes in martial arts and she has permission from the school to have it on campus.

She claimed that one of her professors asked her not to bring the sword to class anymore and even after she agreed, she said, the teacher harassed her about it.

The student said the professor likened her to the Virginia Tech gunman and threatened to call police.

Virginia Tech student Cho Seung Hui opened fire on the university's campus Monday, killing 32 people before killing himself, police said.

Other Asian American students claim this alleged incident is an indication of the current environment on campus.

The president of the university, Dan Mote, met with Asian American students on Friday and assured them that harassment of any kind would not be tolerated on campus.

The university president issued the following statement:

We have all been horrified by the tragedy of the Virginia Tech shootings. Across our many differences we all are joined in our empathy for their community and in admiration for their courage. Unfortunately, some people around the nation have chosen to direct anger at innocent members of the Asian Pacific American community. There have even been reports of incidents on our campus.

I know that I speak for the entire University of Maryland community in saying that we are dismayed to think that members of our Asian Pacific American community would not feel safe and comfortable on our campus. That result would continue the hate created by the killings and damage people who had absolutely nothing to do with the crime in Virginia. Worst of all, it betrays people in our Asian Pacific American community and makes them personally wary and uncomfortable even though they are no different from every other person in the country who watched the horrible events unfold.

The University of Maryland will not tolerate discrimination, harassment or acts of hate. At this time, all of us must be particularly sensitive to the concerns of our Asian Pacific American community members. I ask that each of us take that extra step to ensure that our Asian Pacific American colleagues feel welcomed and safe. I also ask that incidents that run counter to our inclusiveness be reported to one of the offices listed at the end of this letter.

I have long admired the student leadership on this campus in its willingness to reach across differences in an open spirit of community building. Faculty, staff and students together have worked diligently to create an environment of respect and appreciation for our differences, differences that we embrace as a great strength of our university. Let us reaffirm our belief in the community we have created and all enjoy. And let us, together, extend the hand of hope and healing to our friends at Virginia Tech.

However, school officials said they believe this particular incident was most likely a misunderstanding.

In the wake of the mass killing, some Asian Americans said they are anxious about possible backlash.

The university is one of the most diverse in the county with minorities making up one-third of the student body.

The Asian American Student Union has urged Mote to remind faculty and staff about tolerance on campus. The student group also plans to hold meetings with students who want to express their concerns.