An advertising class was canceled yesterday after two College of Communication professors allowed their students to drink beer in the classroom last week and did not check identifications, according to students.

Boston University professors Lawrence DeLamarter and Dave Schaefer told students in their 400-level classes they could bring beers to “demonstrate how to open it or how the product would be used” for an advertising campaign project, said COM senior Tinnok Ng.

An email from the COM administration was sent to students in the evening class yesterday, informing them class was canceled for the night. Students in the afternoon class said they went to the classroom but were met by a hand-written note with a similar message.

Rumors of the professors’ resignation circulated on a Facebook.com group following the cancelation. However, the professors have not resigned, according to a student with knowledge of the incident who was granted anonymity because the student was concerned about damaging a relationship with the professors.

“No, I have absolutely not resigned,” DeLamarter said when reached by phone last night, adding there was “absolutely” no underage drinking in his class. He refused to comment further.

Schaefer declined to comment when reached by phone last night.

While some students in the Advertising Copy and Design class brought “samples” of different beers to share, some brought enough for students to have normal-sized servings, students said.

According to the BU Lifebook, “Alcoholic beverages may not be consumed in any public areas of the University.”

Students in the Thursday afternoon and evening classes were assigned to promote a fake beer targeting Boston-area college students. The professors told students in the evening class that students in the afternoon section drank too much, Ng said, adding the professors told students that drinking is their own responsibility.

The professors have assigned the project for many years and have traditionally allowed students to bring in beer, said COM junior Shelby Sloan.

“It’s just our own choice to drink it, even if we’re underage or not,” said Ng, 21. “So from the beginning to the end, the professors never supported . . . us to drink.”

A COM senior in the class said she brought beer for her presentation.

“I’m 21, and I didn’t give it to anyone under 21 that I know of,” said the senior, who was granted anonymity because the beer was distributed without students showing proof of age. “[The professors] didn’t give out any beer.”

DeLamarter and Schaefer advised underage students not to drink, but they did not check students’ IDs, students said.

Students in both classes said they did not see the professors drink. No hard liquors were served, they said.

“[DeLamarter and Schaefer] definitely told us, ‘Don’t get drunk,'” Sloan said. “I don’t think the students would’ve brought in the beer if they were specifically outlawed for [bringing it in].”

COM junior Stephanie Brunnemann said students in her afternoon class passed around Dixie cup-sized drinks and tablespoon-sized portions of chocolate malt beer, but she was unsure if any students under 21 drank.

Sloan, who is in the afternoon class, said while she did not notice anyone getting drunk, she was not paying enough attention to be entirely certain.

“Not everyone received individual beers,” she said. “Some people brought in their own beers and passed them around and everyone shared.

“Some people brought in red cups, but everyone received one of the really small cups, and they were just samples,” she continued. “No one got really sloppy.” Sloan said some of the 21-year-olds in her 20-person class brought beer.

COM senior Anna Watkin said she thought it was “really weird” that the class was canceled – the first time it has been called off this semester.

“There are two [professors], so at least one of them would’ve shown up,” said Watkin, who is in the evening class.

Phone messages left at the homes of several school administrators were not returned last night.