UCSB dean launches review after Alpha Phi sorority racism scandal

The dean of UC Santa Barbara has been forced to step in after a toxic racism scandal at Alpha Phi threatened to fracture Greek life on campus.

The incident triggered a witch hunt and prompted the college to offer 24/7 psychological counseling to shaken students.

In an internal email, obtained by the California Post, UCSB Dean of Students Joaquin Becerra told the Panhellenic community he had launched a formal review into the recruitment “bias incident” under system-wide anti-discrimination policies.

He also issued an urgent plea to stop an escalating campus witch hunt for the Alpha Phi International girl who allegedly scrubbed people of color from the list of potential new recruits.

Acknowledging the “deep impact” the controversy had across campus, Becerra called on students to curb public hostility against sorority members as online backlash and chapter walkouts intensified.

“I want to encourage us to be mindful that we do not shame or exclude members of our community as we move towards education and accountability,” he wrote, revealing leadership had scheduled emergency sit-downs with Collegiate Panhellenic Council presidents to manage the fallout.

The controversy originally erupted inside the Alpha Phi house when active sisters confronted visiting national handlers over the sudden, unexplained purging of minority recruits during fall rush.

The selection pool plummeted from 1,200 prospective members to roughly 250 in a single round, while active sisters of color were allegedly sidelined from recruiting duties.

When national reps tried to defuse the room by proposing a “dance party” to end the day on a “happy note,” Alpha Phi President Alana Nielsen refused and forced a chapter-wide meeting, sparking a tear-fueled showdown where sisters confronted recruiters face-to-face.

In his message following the revolt, Becerra made clear that administrative sanctions were firmly on the table.

“This type of behavior is in direct opposition with our campus’ values and Principles of Community,” Becerra warned. “This is being reviewed as a possible violation of the UC Anti-Discrimination Policy and any corrective action will be managed by the appropriate campus department(s).”

The fallout spiraled so severely that the university deployed 24/7 emergency counseling for traumatized students.

Confirming staff were directly “connecting with impacted parties,” Becerra put Counseling and Psychological Services on high alert to offer round-the-clock support, while making himself personally available for any students seeking answers.

Sky Achola, a Black sorority member and third-year political science major, said she arrived at the house Sept. 27 expecting to meet prospective recruits, only to discover she had been left off the schedule entirely.

Despite weeks of intense national media coverage, student walkouts and administrative reviews, Alpha Phi International has yet to respond publicly to the damning allegations.

The national fraternity’s silence has sparked widespread anger and disappointment across UCSB’s Panhellenic community.

“Moving forward doesn’t mean moving on without accountability,” Nielsen previously told The Post.

UCSB confirmed reports of discrimination remain under review by the university’s Office of Discrimination and Harassment Prevention and Student Conduct.

Alpha Phi International has been approached for comment.

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