Affirmative Action in Higher Education Teach-Out

While legacy admissions - the practice of granting admissions preference for relatives of alumni - was not discussed in the recent Supreme Court ruling and therefore is still legally permissible, the ban of affirmative action has renewed debate around this practice. Legacy admissions has a long history in U.S. higher education and is widely used, especially at “highly selective and prestigious schools” (Shane LaGesse, Legacy Admissions: What It Is and Why Colleges Are Reconsidering It, U.S. News & World Report). Given its practice at particularly elite instutions, a future ruling about legacy admissions is unlikely to have a significant impact on most universities.

In the following video, Maya will speak to the legal footing of legacy and donor preferences in admissions practices.