Police are investigating an alleged hate crime against a well-respected black female professor at Columbia University's Teachers College. Somebody hanged a hangman’s noose on Madonna Constantine's door, who is a professor of psychology and education and author of a book entitled "Addressing Racism: Facilitating Cultural Competence in Mental Health and Educational Settings." Professor Constantine also teaches a class on racial justice.

"She’s all right at this point with the support of colleagues, friends, students and family," said Mr. Wing Sue, an adjunct professor at the school of social work, as quoted by The New York Times. "But you can imagine the terrible impact that this has had on her."

It's unclear whether the racist who hanged the noose is a student or a member of the University's faculty. The noose was spotted by another professor who alerted his colleagues. About 150 students held a protest against the sick deed outside the Teachers College building at 525 West 120th Street.

"This is an assault on African Americans and therefore it is an assault on every one of us," said the president of Columbia University, Lee C. Bollinger. "I know I speak on behalf of every member of our communities in condemning this horrible action."

Detectives with the New York Police Department’s hate-crime task force are currently investigating the matter as a hate crime and hope to identify the person who did this in a timely manner. Among those questioned is also, according to the NY Daily News, a female professor who replaced Constantine while she was on an extended leave - and reportedly was upset when Constantine reclaimed her post.

Columbia University's Teachers College was established in 1887 and brought black teachers from the South to New York for training in the early part of the 20th century, when schools in the South were segregated. Currently, about 12 percent of its students are black, 11 percent Asian and 7 percent Hispanic.