(NewsNation) — Democratic lawmakers in Virginia are trying to ban public colleges and universities in the state from providing special admission treatment to applicants related to alums and donors.
The move comes after the Supreme Court in June 2023 struck down affirmative action policies that allowed for the limited use of race as a factor in college acceptance practices.
Delegate Dan Helmer, who is sponsoring the House bill, told The 74 that some groups mistakenly think race plays a bigger role in college admissions, but influence from alum status or donations is more of a concern.
“This is about fighting for working-class families to have access to every opportunity and making sure we support democracy and good jobs by providing pathways to the middle class through a college education, and you shouldn’t just be able to buy your way in,” Helmer told The 74.
Lawmakers have not shared how many institutions in Virginia possibly use legacy as an admissions tool.
Since 2015, the Education Reform Now group said more than 100 colleges and universities have ended legacy admission preferences, and 787 still use them as of 2020.
A July 2023 survey from Generation Lab found a vast majority of college students believe legacy admissions into universities are unfair.