"The goal of the workshop, which was led by an outside expert, was to foster learning and create an environment of understanding and support for one another," said Kennesaw State University spokeswoman Tammy DeMel. "Attendees were asked to work together and then were invited to join the group with which they identify."

The April 13 event "is being mischaracterized" as segregation, DeMel added.

The event, a workshop called "Being, Becoming and Fostering Allies: Building Relationships Across Privilege," was taught by two psychology professors and one grad student from the University of Massachusetts, as well as a Kennesaw State University professor.

In it, students learned about becoming an ally for less privileged people, as well as "the essential roles of self-reflection, cultural humility, and re-engagement after failures."