In a recent move aimed at reshaping the admissions landscape, California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a significant bill that bans legacy admissions at private higher education institutions. Set to go into effect on September 1, 2025, this new legislation, known as AB 1780, stipulates that private colleges and universities in California cannot grant preferential treatment solely based on an applicant’s status as the child of an alumnus or a major donor. Institutions found to violate this law will face penalties, and while specifics about preferential admissions will be made public, the identities of admitted students will remain confidential.
As reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, this legislation particularly affects private universities that benefit from state funding, including renowned institutions like Stanford University and the University of Southern California (USC).
Assemblymember Phil Ting, who sponsored AB 1780, criticized legacy admissions as “affirmative action for the wealthy.” He advocates for a system where universities focus on admitting students who exhibit diligence, strong academic achievements, and diverse experiences, rather than those who simply have familial ties or deep pockets.
While California has no blanket prohibition on legacy admissions at public universities, both the University of California (UC) system and California State University (CSU) system have implemented their own restrictions against such practices. However, a 2020 audit highlighted some discrepancies; it found that UC Berkeley admitted at least 55 students who did not meet standard criteria, a decision that was sometimes influenced by connections and donations, including interventions from the UC Board of Regents.
Under the current California law, private universities are required to report annually on the number of students admitted through legacy admissions. This summer, six private universities, including Stanford, submitted these reports. The findings revealed that Stanford admitted 295 alumni children in the previous year, which made up 13.6% of their incoming class, while reiterating that all these students met the required criteria.
In the same academic year, USC reported admitting 1,791 legacy students, while Santa Clara University admitted 38. Claremont McKenna College and Harvey Mudd College each admitted 15 legacy students, and Northeastern University in Oakland accepted fewer than ten.
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