It was to be a Mexican fiesta, complete with sombreros and ponchos. But Sydney University's annual staff Christmas party will be without a theme this year after students and academics complained it was racist. The university's vice-chancellor, Michael Spence, has been forced to email all staff and tell them to ignore the suggested theme and dress code on the invite, which was sent to hundreds of staff.

Eden Caceda, an office-bearer with the university's Autonomous Collective Against Racism, told Fairfax Media that students were deeply offended by the invitation … "We felt the vice-chancellor was perpetrating insidious stereotypes about Mexican people and its culture." Mr Caceda, a second year arts student, said some people had suggested that the collective's stance was taking political correctness too far. "I would say that is not the case. If you have any Mexican heritage in you, you would see this party as offensive and uninformed. "I am Hispanic and I have some traditions from Mexican culture and the vice-chancellor's invite said 'bring your own sombreros and ponchos', which reduces Mexican culture to just a costume," Mr Caceda said. "My family has a poncho and it is really important to us, and these people are treating it like a costume."

Multicultural tension at Sydney University:Opposition to the Mexican party was led by student activist Eden Caceda Caceda’s family arrived in Australia 40 years ago. From Argentina . (Via Steve Price