CLAREMONT - Isaac Salen never imagined a photo scavenger hunt among members of his social club would ignite a racial controversy at the small college he attends.

But the 14 or so members of OAD, so dubbed in the style of a Greek fraternity, became the latest lightning rod for controversy over race relations at Pomona College. An e-mail from group leaders suggested that members snap "a photo with 10 or more Asians," an ethnic group that makes up about 13 percent of students.

Rumors about the photo scavenger hunt, which also asked members to photograph themselves doing things like standing on a roof, mooning fellow students, or blocking traffic, soon passed from students angered by its racial overtones to college administrators.

Ann Quinley, the dean of students, sent an e-mail to all students denouncing the incident, quickly making it the buzz of Pomona College's 1,500 students.

"The potential of having numerous students run around campus trying to snap photographs with 10 or more Asian or Asian American people is racist, offensive, and in violation of shared community values," Quinley wrote on behalf of the Incident Response Team, a committee that responds to "bias-related incidents and hate crimes."

She noted that the team had heard from numerous Asian students who expressed anger and fear "at the thought of being treated like "zoo animals' or "rare specimens.'"

Salen and his friends, who have since been denounced by classmates, confronted by school administrators, and exposed to numerous e-mails calling the scavenger hunt racist, feel overwhelmed. They have apologized for their actions and may face disciplinary action both from the student disciplinary board and the college itself.

"In retrospect, I see that it's insensitive and offensive, but it's just not something anyone thought of at the time, and we certainly never anticipated all the outrage this has caused," Salen said.

"I'm not sure why, but ever since this came out I've been the only one dealing with the administration, and while I understand why this was an insensitive thing to do, and have repeatedly apologized, I can't help but feeling that the reaction has been somewhat overblown."

The e-mail from Quinley noted that student leaders "expressed their outrage and fear for the safety of their fellow students" when they heard about the scavenger hunt.

"I don't understand that," Salen said. "No one actually even took pictures, even before it became a controversy."

Though the campus seems divided between those who feel administrators are over-reacting to the scavenger hunt, and those who are outraged by it, nearly everyone agrees that the incident seemed to come at the worst possible time.

Just a few weeks before the scavenger hunt, students returning to campus for spring semester were informed that four drunken Claremont Colleges students had stolen an 11-foot-high cross from a Pomona art student over the break, carried it several blocks to Harvey Mudd College and burned it in front of a dorm.

All four students later confessed to the cross-burning, saying that they were unaware of the racial overtones of their action, according to college administrators.

But many minority groups and students felt the incident exemplified the hostile climate they believe non-white students face at the colleges and in society.

The photo-scavenger hunt also came as the Asian American Mentor Program, which assigns all Asian students to Asian mentor groups when they arrive on campus, ramped up events to challenge Asian stereotypes as the new semester began.

"Do you know how likely Asian Americans are to be below the poverty line," a typical advertisement read. "Do you know why it sucks when people think your race is smart and successful?"

The dean's e-mail about the scavenger hunt likened it to the cross-burning incident and "how Asian Americans have, and still are, marginalized and objectified throughout the history of the United States."

Erica Lai, a Pomona junior and a member of the Incident Response Team, agreed with that assessment.

"The idea of grouping up Asians and taking pictures like they are caged animals or novelty items is offensive to the whole community," she said.

Another Asian student teared up when asked about the incident.

"I'm sick and tired of being asked to explain why this is offensive," she said, declining to give her name.

But Caroline Fleetwood, a friend of some OAD members, echoed the sentiments of many other students that the photo-scavenger hunt was offensive, but believe the incident has been blown out of proportion.

"I feel like it was a thoughtless and offensive action, but the comparisons to the cross-burning is unfair," she said. "And the e-mail about people feeling threatened and fearful for their safety makes no sense."

On a Web-based message board at the Claremont Colleges, the topic sparked a wider debate about race at the Claremont Colleges.

"Given the institutionalized racial bias in our society ..., shouldn't we take extra care and caution to be actively anti-racism?" wrote Ellie Swanson, a Pomona student. "Say what you will, but OAD members did not do that."

But Apollo Morgan, a Claremont McKenna student, asserted that Pomona's policies on race -- which gear some events, mentor programs, student centers, and academic majors to specific racial groups -- encourage segregation on campus and are themselves racist.

He also noted that all of the Claremont Colleges seek out minority students to photograph for admissions brochures and other promotional material, a practice that he argues treats minority students in the same way that critics of the scavenger hunt say OAD treated Asians.

"Please explain to me how dividing people into racial groups, and starting clubs, campus centers, and mentoring programs based ENTIRELY on race will bring people together as a whole instead of divide them?" he wrote.

The Incident Response Team is hypocritical, he wrote, because it advocates treating people differently based on their race when it benefits minorities, but opposes it when it clashes with its agenda.

Not so, Swanson argued, because the intent of Pomona's ethnic student centers, ethnic groups and academic majors are to fight racism.

Still visibly troubled by the incident in his dorm room at Pomona College, Salen said it has taught him a lesson about what divides people.

"I always thought that intent was a very meaningful part of actions and how they are judged," he said. "But it really has little to do with it, and I now understand that it's about the results of your actions."

He said OAD members tried to express that sentiment in an apology they intended to send to all students by e-mail.

"It expressed our apology, but also explained how we thought the incident was mishandled, because the administration never talked to us to see what happened, but sent out an e-mail based on the rumors they heard and assumed to be true," he said.

"They've been under a lot of pressure from different racial groups for the way they handle racial sensitivity, but I think it's unfair that they started calling us racist without even knowing what happened, even though I'm ashamed of the whole thing."

The administration rejected that apology, he said, but later approved a similar apology that omitted criticism of response to the incident or explanation of the facts surrounding it.

"We are ashamed of our actions, which were careless and rude," the statement says in part. "Our lack of sensitivity, which we deeply regret, has had a negative impact on the atmosphere of our campus. We are truly sorry."

Members of the group know they will face disciplinary charges in front of the student judiciary board -- already they've admitted that their "party week" activities involved drinking beer, a violation for under-age students, though one that results in formal charges as the exception rather than the rule.

But Salen fears members of the group may also be disciplined over the scavenger hunt, which would violate the school's harassment policy if deans can prove that it created an "element of fear" on campus.

"I don't think people were walking around afraid, especially since the thing never happened," Salen said. "But this is their opportunity to appear tough on racial sensitivity and they're going to throw the book at us."

Though the disciplinary process is only beginning for the students, Salen said he hopes to put the event behind him.

"We truly are sorry, and it's something that's so hard to make right, because saying you're sorry isn't always accepted," he said. "Rumors fly around so quickly, and all of a sudden it seems like everyone is against you, and there's no way to explain anything."