The chancellor of a US university is under pressure to resign over his impression of an “Asian” accent at a graduation ceremony.

Thomas Keon, who has led Purdue University Northwest (PNW) since 2011, has faced criticism after his����of Chinese language during the event, which he jokingly called “my Asian version” of a previous speaker’s speech.

The words struck a nerve among some graduates of the university, which is located in Indiana and has become increasingly diverse in recent years.

Ellen Chang, a��Purdue graduate and investment reporter, called the incident a “complete and utter travesty”.

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“The overt racism displayed here is appalling. I am embarrassed to be an alum,”����on Twitter.

Nearly half the students at PNW – which is part of the larger Purdue University system – are non-white. The institution’s is just over 24 per cent Hispanic, 10.6 per cent black and 3.3 per cent mixed race and 2.6 per cent Asian.

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PNW��has sought to bolster its reputation for inclusivity in recent years,����its “steady increases in different race or ethnicity identifications among the student body since 2016”.

In a statement following the commencement, Dr Keon��highlighted his own role in boosting diversity on campus and����for what he characterised as a momentary lapse in judgement. ��

“We are all human. I made a mistake, and I assure you I did not intend to be hurtful and my comments do not reflect my personal or our institutional values,” he said.

“I am truly sorry for my unplanned, off-the-cuff response to another speaker, as my words have caused confusion, pain, and anger.”

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But the statement didn’t appear to placate some alumni, who called for his resignation.

“As an alum…I’d like to know when the chancellor will be removed from his job,”�����DzԱ�.

Academics also took to social media to condemn the chancellor’s actions.

“This is shameful and disappointing. This regional campus prides itself on diversity and first-generation college student accessibility but this mockery is offensive and undermines the promise of an inclusive campus,”����Brian Hall, a professor and director of the Center for Global Health Equity at New York University Shanghai.

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Some online commenters pointed out the irony in the timing of controversy, with Dr Keon’s statement continuing to make waves even as PNW��published an editorial on a local website��promoting its��, which “values students and employees from multiple backgrounds”.

��pola.lem@timeshighereducation.com