Administrators at Colorado State University-Pueblo announced last week that allegations of a professor’s role in creating a racially hostile classroom environment were unfounded.

In early March, CSU freshman Victoria Watson had accused Dan Forsyth, a tenured anthropology professor, of making racist comments about Mexicans in a forensic anthropology class.

According to a release, Watson said after Forsyth announced an upcoming lecture on immigration, he began to rant about illegal immigration. Watson alleged Forsyth used a derogatory term to refer to Mexicans, used profanity and called Mexicans “lazy” and “bitter.”

Watson, who will be transferring to the University of Colorado-Fort Collins, also claimed when she got up to leave the class, Forsyth directed a derogatory comment at her.

While the administration did not find evidence to support Watson’s claim that Forsyth created a racially hostile environment, the university acknowledged Forsyth had engaged in inappropriate classroom behavior.

Cora Zalatel, executive director of development and communications at CSU, said she was proud of how the university handled the allegations.

“We did do a thorough investigation, and we did do it quickly. … We were pretty open and honest with people about what we found,” Zalatel said. “We took the student’s concerns seriously.”

According to Zalatel, the investigation involved the school’s director of affirmative action, provost and dean of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Though interviews with more than 20 students who were also present in the class revealed a general agreement Forsyth’s behavior was inappropriate, those interviewed were unable to confirm he had made several of the comments Watson claimed he made.

According to Zalatel, Forsyth received a letter of advisement and a recommendation to take certain steps of action. Though Zalatel was unable to give details on the recommended steps, she said Forsyth’s failure to comply would result in more serious consequences.

While the allegations have kindled an ongoing national debate about academic freedom at universities, the line between acceptable free speech and racism remains a blurry one.

University of Wisconsin Provost Peter Spear said there is no clear marker between a hostile classroom climate and the healthy discussion of a controversial issue.

“The classroom environment needs to be one such that people feel free to disagree, but they shouldn’t cross the line of being personally offensive to others,” Spear said. “And that’s a fine line. Where that line is, is hard to draw and requires some common sense.”

Spear said fostering a healthy classroom environment needs to include the students as well as the instructors.

“It’s a two-way street,” Spear said. “The climate in the classroom is really a critical part of classroom climate in general and involves active roles played by everyone in the classroom.”

Zalatel said the allegations highlight the need for universities to balance between protecting their students and fulfilling their missions.

“We want to ensure that our students have a safe learning environment, but we do believe that all issues need to be discussed in their entirety,” Zalatel said. “Controversial issues should be a part of a university classroom.”

According to the University of Wisconsin’s Prohibited Harassment Policy, which outlines legislation regarding the conduct of faculty and staff, UW strives to create an environment in which “controversial, provocative and unpopular ideas can be safely introduced and discussed.”

It also states that hurtful expressions derogating a student on the basis of gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or disability do not play a role in the free expression of ideas.

According to Spear, students who feel an instructor has used hurtful expressions in the classroom should discuss the concerns with the instructor, the instructor’s department chair or the dean of students.