Emotions ran high at Monday night’s Black Student Alliance meeting as members took up Deantrious Mitchell’s admission that he lied about a racial assault last month.

By consensus — an informal group decison — the BSA condemned Mitchell’s actions but offered concern for his welfare. There were about 50 people at the meeting.

Meron Wondwosen, BSA president, said the BSA is here to support all black students. Wondwosen read a draft version of a press statement BSA is set to release sometime this week.

Wondwosen said just because this incident may have been falsified, it doesn’t mean that Iowa State is a safe campus for minorities. “It doesn’t mean that racial attacks do not happen or could not happen on this campus,” she said. Wondwosen said people believed the incident occurred because of existing racial tension on campus.

Mitchell has yet to make a statement to anyone about his motives for filing a false report.

Rafael Rodriguez, director of Minority Student Affairs, said he has mixed emotions. “The climate hasn’t changed. It still is a hostile environment,” he said.

Many members of BSA expressed concern for Mitchell’s welfare. Gabriel Clausen, who met with university officials Monday afternoon, told members they can be assured there are many steps being taken to help Mitchell.

There was also a debate about whether an individual, such as Mitchell, can be separated from his or her actions. Members had mixed views on exactly what should be said in BSA’s press statement.

“Everything that we’ve been trying to do is going to suffer to a certain extent, and he should realize the severity of what he has done,” said Kyle Pierce, former BSA president.

“It’s very difficult to affect change,” added Jamal White, BSA university relations director. “Think how far we could be set back by this.”

BSA will host a campus discussion on the issue Friday at the Black Cultural Center, 517 Welch Ave., at 5 p.m.