UC Berkeley fraternity Alpha Delta Phi remains recognized after student drowning death in November 2025; lawsuit settlement conference scheduled for October 6, 2026.

Less than a year after a sophomore drowned at a fraternity party on the UC Berkeley campus, the chapter responsible has resumed standard operations — and the university confirmed it took no disciplinary action against the organization.

George Mauricio Salinas, a sophomore, died in November 2025 after drowning in the pool at the UC Berkeley chapter of Alpha Delta Phi during a party, according to a report in The Daily Californian.

Salinas' parents have filed a lawsuit against the UC Berkeley chapter and Alpha Delta Phi's national organization, alleging "reckless" management of the party and "negligence." The suit claims the event was overcrowded and lacked safety monitors, according to the report.

A mandatory settlement conference is scheduled for Oct. 6, 2026. If no settlement is reached, the case is set for a jury trial on Nov. 11, 2027.

No campus discipline

UC Berkeley "did not take conduct action against the chapter related to the incident, including probation or fines," campus spokesperson Lindsey Michels said in an email cited by the Daily Californian. "UC Berkeley has not placed restrictions on Alpha Delta Phi's operations or events."

The fraternity remains recognized by the university and its Interfraternity Council, or IFC.

Alpha Delta Phi's national leadership did issue a cease and desist letter after the drowning that lasted through the end of last semester, IFC President Pavel Karabelov said. Under that order, the chapter could not hold operations under the Alpha Delta Phi name — no meetings, social events or recruitment.

The chapter did not recruit new members in spring 2026, according to the university's Fall 2025–Spring 2026 Fraternity and Sorority Community report. But by the start of this school year, Alpha Delta Phi had resumed activity, holding fall rush events and hosting a party after a Saturday football game, the Daily Californian reported.

The fraternity, previously known as "Aquadelt," has been referring to itself as "ADPhi" on the social app Doorlist.

IFC weighed removal

The IFC considered stripping recognition from Alpha Delta Phi but decided against it, Karabelov said, because doing so would "take them out from underneath the rules that we set."

Karabelov said the council has been "making dramatic changes to our constitution and to our risk management policies to ensure that something like this could never happen again."

"It pains me to know that there are freshmen on this campus who don't know what happened," Karabelov said.

"I think a lot of the members of the IFC have … understood that as a community, we have the blood of a student on our hands," Karabelov added.

Michels said in her email that UC Berkeley is "committed to the safety of all students" and that recognized chapters receive "resources and education on sexual assault, alcohol abuse and hazing."

The case's next public milestone is the Oct. 6 settlement conference. If it proceeds to trial, jurors would hear the matter beginning Nov. 11, 2027.