Former UA student and Alpha Phi member Harley Barber faced repercussions following the release of a video from her Instagram page that contained racist language and attitudes. After its publication, Barber was removed from her sorority and asked to leave the University in a matter of hours.
The video, posted on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, featured Barber in a car with other girls as she responded to comments from people regarding her use of a racial slur in a previous video. She went on to say she had the right to say the slur because she was from New Jersey and went to school in the south, repeating the word throughout the clip.
After someone screen recorded the video and tweeted it, outrage sparked online, condemning the language used and calling for the other girls in the background to face punishment for being bystanders to Barber’s actions.
“Any other identifiable UA students in the video are also being referred to the Office of Student Conduct,” said Chris Bryant, associate director for the Office of Media Relations.
In a school-wide email, UA President Stuart R. Bell said he found the videos “highly offensive and deeply hurtful” on a grand scale. He condemned the actions of Barber and made it clear that such behavior was “unacceptable and unwelcome here at UA.”
News of the incident made national headlines, which helped to expedite the process of Barber’s expulsion. The executive office for Alpha Phi International released a statement regarding the incident and calls to action from the public via Facebook.
“Alpha Phi is a diverse, values-based organization and condemns the language and opinions in these videos. They are offensive and hateful to both our own members and to other members of the Greek and campus community. The Beta Mu chapter leadership and supporting alumnae moved quickly to address the offense, and Ms. Barber is no longer a member of Alpha Phi.”
After her return to her home state of New Jersey, Barber has only given one interview following the string of events leading to her expulsion. In an interview with the New York Post, she recognized her wrongdoings.
“There’s no excuse,” Barber said. “I did something really bad.”
