Concordia University will "treat seriously" allegations of sexual misconduct and an abusive climate in its English department, according to president Alan Shepard, following accusations by a former student of the Montreal school's creative writing program.

In a message posted to the university's website on Monday, Shepard said he became aware of a blog post earlier that day that made specific allegations against unnamed faculty members, as well as "general allegations of an abusive climate in the department's well-known program in creative writing."

"I am disturbed by what I read in the blog post. These allegations are serious, and will be treated seriously," Shepard said.

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'Drunken nights of misbehaviour'

The blog post was written by Mike Spry, a former creative-writingstudent who later worked with and befriended professors in the department.

The post does not name anyone, but refers to professors routinely harassing, abusing and inappropriately dating students, as well as "drunken nights of misbehaviour" that Spry said were commonplace over his 14-year association with the university.

Spry said one professor he knew "rented a hotel room at a Montreal literary festival so that he could entertain young writers away from his house and family."

He said another would brag openly about dating or sleeping with students.

"He would attempt to manipulate by buying them drinks, using the pretext of wanting to discuss their craft, overwhelming them with alcohol and smarm, promise them publication and praise, offer them mentorship," Spry wrote.

"If they eschewed his advances he would denigrate them and their writing,"