(The Center Square) – Citing the value of “merit,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom banned legacy and donor admissions at private colleges. In contrast, Newsom condemned last year’s federal Supreme Court ban on race-based admissions and support for “merit” as the product of “ignorance.”
It’s unclear if Newsom, a graduate of Santa Clara University — one of the handful of colleges in California that says it considers donor and legacy status — received any benefits from his father serving as administrator of the Getty trust, founded by one of the wealthiest and most philanthropic families in history.
“In California, everyone should be able to get ahead through merit, skill, and hard work,” said Newsom 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 statement also referenced Newsom’s signing of AB 447 last year, which called upon California’s CSU and UC college systems to “establish or expand … inclusive college programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities at four-year public postsecondary educational institutions.”
According to reports to the legislature directly submitted by Stanford and the University of Southern California, donors tend to be alumni, and unqualified applicants are not offered admission, regardless of donor or legacy status.
Because donations can significantly subsidize education for less fortunate individuals, eliminating donor family admissions preferences could cut into a key source of funding for scholarships and financial aid.
“Legacy admissions should absolutely be allowed at private universities and the Governor doesn’t need to be meddling,” said State Sen. Brian Dahle, R-Bieber, to The Center Square. “This is just another one of his virtue signaling moments.”
While the bill currently has no enforcement mechanisms other than a public website to be maintained listing violators, earlier versions of the bill would have stripped violating universities of qualifying for Cal Grant, a state financial aid program that pays up to $9,084 per year for qualified students.
