UK student permanently banned from campus, not eligible to re-enroll after racial incident

LOUISVILLE, KY. (WDRB) -- The University of Kentucky has permanently banned a former student from campus after a racial incident at a dorm.

A statement on Wednesday from UK president Eli Capilouto said Senior Sophia Rosing will not be allowed to re-enroll as a student.

Rosing was arrested Sunday after she allegedly physically assaulted a Black student worker at Boyd Hall while repeatedly using racial slurs. The incident was captured on video and widely circulated on social media.

In a letter to the campus community, Capilouto called the behavior seen in the video "disgusting" and "devastating to our community."

Kylah Spring, a freshman working as a desk clerk, said in the video that Rosing hit her multiple times and kicked her in the stomach. Spring said the attack began when she asked Rosing, who appeared to be intoxicated, if she was ok.

Rosing can be heard using racial slurs throughout the video and a police report said she continued using derogatory language after being taken into custody.

Rosing was charged by campus police with first and second offenses of alcohol intoxication in a public place, third-degree assault of a police officer, fourth-degree assault and second-degree disorderly conduct, according to an arrest report. She pleaded not guilty in court.

Rosing's attorney, Fred Peters, said she was seeking help for issues she has.

Capilouto said in his letter that the UK Office of Institutional Equity and Equal Opportunity will continue its investigation. He said more charges could be coming.

Here is the full text of Capilouto's letter:

Campus Community,

We have pledged to keep you informed regarding our response to the racist assault captured on video last Sunday on our campus. I want to emphasize that this behavior was disgusting and devastating to our community. We stand by our students who were targeted by this unacceptable hostility and violence.

I write to provide an update on the incident:

Ms. Rosing is no longer a student at the University of Kentucky.
Within hours of learning about this incident, we suspended her on an interim basis – a move that banned her from campus during our investigation.
I have also determined that she will not be eligible to re-enroll as a student.
She is permanently banned from the campus.
Although she is no longer a student, we must continue our investigations. That includes our cooperation with an investigation into criminal charges filed; our Code of Student Conduct disciplinary proceedings and racial harassment misconduct being reviewed by our Office of Institutional Equity and Equal Opportunity.
Further charges could be forthcoming based on these investigations.

As a community working wholeheartedly to prevent racist violence, we also must be committed to holding people accountable for their actions. The processes we have in place are essential.

I will be sharing more information about the next steps we are taking soon. Thank you for being a community that cares.

Eli Capilouto

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