New details emerge about Alpha Phi sorority scandal at UC Santa Barbara

A racism scandal that triggered a fiery uprising inside a top California sorority house has exploded — with furious sisters staging walkouts and recruits warning peers to steer clear.

The fallout inside the University of California, Santa Barbara Alpha Phi chapter house is mirrored by online backlash that began right after rush wrapped up last month.

In late September, Alpha Phi’s profile on the popular sorority and fraternity ranking site GreekRank was hit with a wave of one-star reviews alleging widespread racism within the chapter.

Anonymous commenters warned potential recruits about the chapter’s hostile environment, highlighting that members were actively staging walkouts over how women of color were treated.

One damning post from late September, which has since gained 269 upvotes, warned 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 scathing review posted around the same time with 213 upvotes echoed the warning: “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 digital bloodbath, at a college nationally known for its party atmosphere, follows a disastrous fall rush where active sisters realized prospective minority members were being systematically purged, while current sisters of color were shoved to the sidelines.

The revolt ignited after an outside volunteer recruitment adviser working alongside national Alpha Phi International representatives was accused of secretly hijacking chapter selections.

After the first cut on September 26, a pool of roughly 1,200 hopefuls plummeted to just 250, and active members noticed scores of high-scoring diverse candidates had vanished without explanation. 

Meanwhile, active sisters of color were barred from recruiting rounds. Black sorority member Sky Achola revealed that nearly every woman of color in her family group was stripped from recruitment duties.

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“Honestly, I felt sick to my stomach,” Alpha Phi President Alana Nielsen said of the disturbing pattern. “I couldn’t imagine letting the day end without giving our members an opportunity to speak.”

When national representatives tried to sweep the anger under the rug by suggesting the chapter conclude rush on a “happy note” with a dance party, Nielsen shut it down and forced a chapter-wide meeting.

What followed was a direct showdown.

Tears, shouting, and fury erupted inside the house as sisters stood up to visiting corporate handlers, demanding to know why diverse candidates were wiped out.

Recruitment director Emerson Novosel described the chaos as feeling “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 storm abruptly fled her post shortly after.

While national officials offered basic emotional support, Nielsen insisted her chapter won’t settle for PR maneuvers. 

“Moving forward doesn’t mean moving on without accountability,” she said.

The situation inside the UCSB house sharply contradicts Alpha Phi International’s official platform. 

On its website, the national sorority heavily promotes its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programming, highlighting mandatory modules like “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.