Police are investigating a race-hate allegation arising out of a National Union of Students (NUS) training seminar held at the University of York.
The four-day event was held for more than 100 student union officers from across the North.
Much of the training centred on "what if" scenarios to teach young people how to deal with a crisis at university and handle heated situations.
It is alleged that a Bring Back Slavery sign was displayed during one event.
The seminar also featured a crisis management workshop where participants were allegedly told having too many black students would increase knife and gun crime on a fictional campus.
In a letter sent to students after the event Bellavia Ribeiro-Addy, NUS National Black Students' officer, said student officers were acting inappropriately.
"At an NUS training event last week, a students' union sabbatical officer questioned encouraging more students from the local black community to attend a fictional university, as he thought the presence of such students would increase gun and knife crime and so require more security.
"He then went on to say that there should be thought put into whether they want such 'undesirables' at the university.
"In the same session another student officer, thought it would be funny to hold up a poster saying 'BRING BACK SLAVERY'!"
'Deplore racism'
"It is unacceptable that black students should have to put up with blatant racist stereotypes at NUS events.
"It is unacceptable that slavery can be treated as a joke; it is one of the greatest crimes in human history and the root cause of modern racism that has left us with a legacy that continues to mar the lives of black people today."
The NUS in York has distanced itself from the controversy and said none of its members were involved and it was merely hosting the event, which rotates around Britain's seats of learning every year.
A spokesman said: "It was an NUS event held on the campus. We deplore racism of any kind and feel very strongly about that.
"We fully disagree with what happened at that event."
Wes Streeting, the National President of the NUS, said he had received "a number" of complaints relating to allegations about the behaviour of delegates on the course.
He said: "It goes without saying that NUS takes the issues of equal opportunities and safe space very seriously and I am thus determined that the allegations are handled properly."
Mr Streeting said he was unwilling to comment on the specifics of the complaints while an investigation was under way.
North Yorkshire Police confirmed it was investigating a "racially motivated incident" and said inquiries were ongoing.
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