An English professor who told his students that Republicans want to shut down colleges apologized Tuesday after a recording of the lecture was posted on the conservative website Campus Reform.

Brent Terry, adjunct professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, said in a statement that during his Monday creative writing class, “I allowed my own political opinions to color the discussion.”

“I regret the language I used and I apologize to any students in the room who were offended,” he said in the statement.

During his lecture, Mr. Terry warned students that if Republicans win House and Senate majorities in 2014, colleges will start “closing up.”

“It’s absolutely possible that the Republicans will take over the Senate as well as the House. And we will live in a very, very, very different kind of country if that happens. I mean, colleges will start closing up if they, if these people have their way,” said Mr. Terry.

He said that “… racist, misogynist, money-grubbing people have so much power over the rest of us. And want things to go back—not to 1955, but to 1855.”

“There are a lot of people out there that do not want black people to vote, do not want Latinos to vote. Do not want old people to vote, or young people to vote. Because generally, people like you are liberal,” said Mr. Terry.

A university spokesman initially responded to Campus Reform by defending Mr. Terry, saying, “Our faculty has academic freedom to conduct their classes in whatever way they choose, this is not a university matter,” but on Tuesday released the professor’s apology.

“As a liberal arts university, Eastern is known for encouraging debate and discussion about a host of social and political issues,” said Mr. Terry. “My role in my own classroom is to keep the debate lively yet respectful. I did not meet that standard yesterday, and for that I am truly sorry.”

The student who recorded the lecture wishes to remain anonymous, according to Campus Reform.

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