An investigation has been initiated against University of Alabama (UA)'s four sorority chapters - Alpha Gamma Delta, Delta Delta Delta, Chi Omega, and Pi Beta Phi - following allegations that it denied two black women a bid because of their race.
The allegations were brought into limelight by an article in 'The Crimson White,' the student newspaper. An excerpt of the article:
'UA Greek system is still almost completely divided along racial lines' and that the two women 'tried to break what remains an almost impenetrable color barrier.'
The article claimed that none of the school's 16 Panhellenic organizations offered them a bid to pledge. It also said that one of the women was considered to be the right candidate with a 4.3 high school GPA, a salutatorian and from a family 'with deep roots in local and state public service and a direct link to the University of Alabama.'
"Pi Beta Phi leadership is taking this matter very seriously and has begun looking into the allegations cited in The Crimson White article," Pi Beta Phi grand president Paula Shepherd said. "If any of those allegations are found to be true, those members, alumna or collegiate, will be held accountable for their actions."
An unidentified member of UA's Pi Beta Phi chapter told the newspaper that alumnae threatened to slash financial support if they went ahead with the plan to pledge one of the black students.
Shepherd described the allegations as 'troubling and saddening' and further said that the sorority does not encourage and tolerate any kind of discrimination in its membership selection practices.