BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – A science professor at a Michigan university has been placed on administrative leave and is being investigated after denying the severity of the coronavirus and using racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic slurs on Twitter. David Eisler, president of Ferris State University, said Monday in a statement that Thomas Brennan was placed on leave Thursday for his “offensive" remarks. According to the newspaper's screenshots, Brennan tweeted anti-Semitic language and racist and homophobic slurs. Following the newspaper's report, Brennan said in a statement that he is not racist, anti-Sematic or a science denier. John Smith, a university spokesman, declined to say whether Brennan was placed on administrative leave in response to the professor’s tweets, his comments about COVID-19, or both.