California passes bill to ban legacy college admissions

California lawmakers have passed a bill aimed at banning legacy and donor admissions in private colleges and universities, a move that seeks to promote equitable access to higher education. If signed by Governor Newsom, this legislation would require institutions like USC and Stanford to report annually on the number of applicants admitted due to legacy or donor connections. This initiative is part of a broader trend across the nation to eliminate practices that favor wealthy and white students in college admissions. The bill follows a 2019 law that mandated universities to disclose their legacy and donor admissions data. Recent reports indicated that a significant percentage of admitted students at USC and Stanford had such connections, with 14.5% and 13.6% respectively. The legislation aims to address concerns that these practices perpetuate inequality in educational opportunities, particularly for low-income students. While California State University and the University of California do not consider legacy status in admissions, the new law would impact a small number of selective private institutions that still do. Lawmakers, including Assemblymember Ting, have expressed a commitment to ensuring fairness in admissions processes, although the bill lacks financial penalties for non-compliance, which could weaken its enforcement. University representatives have indicated their willingness to comply with the new law if enacted. They have also highlighted their efforts to increase the admission of low-income students, suggesting a shift towards more inclusive practices in higher education. The implementation date for the new regulations is set for September 1, 2025.