A racism scandal that sparked a fierce revolt inside a prominent California sorority house has intensified, with angry members staging walkouts and potential recruits urging others to stay away.
The turmoil at the University of California, Santa Barbara’s Alpha Phi chapter has also spilled online, where criticism surged soon after last month’s recruitment process ended.
In late September, Alpha Phi’s page on the popular fraternity and sorority review platform GreekRank was flooded with one-star ratings accusing the chapter of pervasive racism.
Anonymous reviewers cautioned prospective members about what they described as a hostile chapter culture. Several posts specifically referenced walkouts by current members protesting the treatment of women of color.
One late-September review, which has received 269 upvotes, issued a stark warning to incoming freshmen: “We’re literally having walk outs and other major issues because of racism during and before recruitment… NOT a good place for people of color or anyone who cares about them or their treatment.”
Another review posted around the same time and backed by 213 upvotes delivered a similar message: “The racism is crazy. do not recommend if ur a poc. needs to be held accountable. going against everything that greek life stands for here.”
The online backlash has followed a chaotic fall recruitment season at a university widely known for its party culture. Active members reportedly became concerned after prospective minority candidates were systematically removed from consideration, while current members of color were pushed away from key recruitment responsibilities.
The internal rebellion began after an outside volunteer recruitment adviser working with representatives from Alpha Phi International was accused of taking control of the chapter’s selection decisions without members’ knowledge.
Following the first cut on September 26, the number of potential recruits fell from approximately 1,200 to 250. Active members then noticed that numerous highly rated candidates from diverse backgrounds had disappeared from the process without an explanation.
At the same time, active sisters of color were excluded from recruitment rounds. Sky Achola, a Black Alpha Phi member, said nearly every woman of color in her family group had been removed from recruitment duties.
“Honestly, I felt sick to my stomach,” Alpha Phi President Alana Nielsen said, describing the pattern. “I couldn’t imagine letting the day end without giving our members an opportunity to speak.”
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When national representatives reportedly proposed ending recruitment with a dance party to leave the chapter on a “happy note,” Nielsen rejected the idea and called for a meeting of the entire chapter.
The gathering quickly turned into a confrontation.
Inside the sorority house, members cried, shouted and demanded answers from visiting corporate representatives, pressing them to explain why diverse candidates had been removed from consideration.
Emerson Novosel, the chapter’s recruitment director, said the scene felt “like a revolution happening right now.”
“Once one woman stood up, it empowered others to do the same,” Nielsen said. “That was incredibly powerful to witness.” The volunteer adviser at the center of the dispute left her position shortly afterward.
Although national officials offered basic emotional support, Nielsen said the chapter would not accept public-relations gestures in place of meaningful action.
“Moving forward doesn’t mean moving on without accountability,” she said.
The events at the UCSB Alpha Phi house stand in sharp contrast to the national organization’s stated commitments.
Alpha Phi International’s website prominently features its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, or DEI, initiatives, including mandatory programs titled “Stand Together” and “Understanding Self and Others.”
According to the national organization, these initiatives are designed to guide advisers and shape recruitment toward an inclusive, anti-racist environment.
However, active members in Santa Barbara say those corporate policies failed on the ground when rush got underway.
UCSB has since condemned discrimination in a statement to The Post.
“Discrimination is not tolerated at the university. Reports of discrimination are investigated by the university’s Office of Discrimination and Harassment Prevention and referred to Student Conduct as appropriate,” a university spokesperson said.