A new law banning legacy and donor admissions at private California universities, including USC and Stanford — among the handful of schools that admit a significant number of children of alumni or donors — was signed Monday by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who said the action will promote equal educational opportunities.
“In California, everyone should be able to get ahead through merit, skill, and hard work,” Newsom said in a statement. “The California Dream shouldn’t be accessible to just a lucky few, which is why we’re opening the door to higher education wide enough for everyone, fairly.”
The law affects a small number of private institutions in the state that consider family connections in admissions. Others that currently embrace the practice include Santa Clara, Claremont McKenna and Harvey Mudd colleges.
California State University and the University California do not give preference in admissions to children of alumni or donors. Some private colleges, including Pomona and Occidental, have discontinued the tradition in recent years.