Bill banning legacy admissions in all California colleges and universities passes Assembly

[Anonymous]

A bill from a Bay Area lawmaker that would ban legacy admissions at public and private colleges in California has passed the State Assembly.

On Tuesday, lawmakers approved Assembly Bill 1780 by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D- San Francisco). The bill now heads to the State Senate for consideration.

"If you work hard, get good grades and have a well-rounded background, your spot should not be taken by someone else just because their family can write a big check or is a graduate of that school," Ting said in a statement.

Christian, a senior at Stanford and first-generation college student, said he supports Assembly Bill 1780.

"As someone who doesn't have anyone in my family who went to college, it doesn't really feel fair. Especially since they just got rid of affirmative action, so they're not even trying to get people from communities like mine who don't have access to this anymore. The little thing that was giving us a little bit of equity has already been removed," he said. "'We're just going to let people in who have connections to the school' kind-of sucks because what about us? What about this large population of students who can do great here who just don't have access."

https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/ab1780-legacy-admissions-ban-california-colleges-universities-passes-assembly-phil-ting/

[Anonymous]

Legacy admissions were banned at CA publics 25 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Eagle Scout parent for the win.

[Anonymous]

Excellent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Legacy admissions were banned at CA publics 25 years ago.

+1 This mostly affects Stanford and USC. Sorry rich white people! Your affirmative action is ending in California.

https://latimes.com/california/story/2024-02-29/california-move-to-crack-down-on-legacy-and-donor-admissions-could-hit-usc-stanford
USC accepted 1,740 applicants with legacy or donor connections, or 14.4% of the fall 2022 admitted class, according to data submitted to the state. Of those, 96% were relatives of alumni and nearly 4% were connected only to donors. Stanford offered admission to 287 students, or 13.8% of the class — with 92% related to alumni and 8% with ties only to donors.

[Anonymous]

That's great. Hope this happens in the rest of the country as well.

[Anonymous]

This is bigger than just legacy

"An independent institution of higher education shall not provide a legacy preference or donor preference in admissions to an applicant as part of the regular or early action admissions process."

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1780


I'm sure the private college development offices are not happy

[Anonymous]

It gets rid of the Z-list.

Would love to see Massachusetts do this. Would blow the stacks of people at Tufts, Harvard, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is bigger than just legacy

"An independent institution of higher education shall not provide a legacy preference or donor preference in admissions to an applicant as part of the regular or early action admissions process."

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1780


I'm sure the private college development offices are not happy

Feels like this language is a weird carve-out. Z-list kids don't go through the "early action" or "regular" admissions process. They have their own special backdoor of getting in. As long as they Z-list kid doesn't apply through the normal channels, it seems like this bill does nothing.

(c) An independent institution of higher education shall not provide a legacy preference or donor preference in admissions to an applicant as part of the regular or early action admissions process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's great. Hope this happens in the rest of the country as well.

+1

-former long time CA resident

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is bigger than just legacy

"An independent institution of higher education shall not provide a legacy preference or donor preference in admissions to an applicant as part of the regular or early action admissions process."

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1780


I'm sure the private college development offices are not happy

Feels like this language is a weird carve-out. Z-list kids don't go through the "early action" or "regular" admissions process. They have their own special backdoor of getting in. As long as they Z-list kid doesn't apply through the normal channels, it seems like this bill does nothing.

(c) An independent institution of higher education shall not provide a legacy preference or donor preference in admissions to an applicant as part of the regular or early action admissions process.

Yes, you're right. The rich and mediocre kids can still get in as Z-listers. The development offices don't need to shut down just yet. There will always be a back door that rich people can push their kids through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is bigger than just legacy

"An independent institution of higher education shall not provide a legacy preference or donor preference in admissions to an applicant as part of the regular or early action admissions process."

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1780


I'm sure the private college development offices are not happy

Feels like this language is a weird carve-out. Z-list kids don't go through the "early action" or "regular" admissions process. They have their own special backdoor of getting in. As long as they Z-list kid doesn't apply through the normal channels, it seems like this bill does nothing.

(c) An independent institution of higher education shall not provide a legacy preference or donor preference in admissions to an applicant as part of the regular or early action admissions process.

Yes, you're right. The rich and mediocre kids can still get in as Z-listers. The development offices don't need to shut down just yet. There will always be a back door that rich people can push their kids through.

Maybe yes, maybe no. They'd have to hope state court judges agree with their reading of the law, if not, the penalties are crushing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's great. Hope this happens in the rest of the country as well.

It was passed 9 months ago in Virginia per public schools

[Anonymous]

WHAT THERE WERE PEOPLE STRONGLY CLAIMING THAT PRIVATE COLLEGES CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO SINCE THEY ARE PRIVATE

Racial discrimination is banned and now legacy is banned.
Progress

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's great. Hope this happens in the rest of the country as well.

It was passed 9 months ago in Virginia per public schools

Public colleges in CA have long disregarded legacy. Hard to believe that VA passed this as recently as 9 months ago! Yikes