Wesleyan University in Connecticut became the latest higher education institution to ditch legacy admissions Wednesday following a ruling by the Supreme Court that blocked the use of race-based admissions policies.
The Supreme Court ruled in June that Harvard University and the University of North Carolina’s use of affirmative action policies was unconstitutional, barring higher education institutions from using the practice. In light of the ruling, Wesleyan University announced that it would no longer use legacy admissions, a mechanism by which children of alumni get preferential treatment within the admissions process, and which has been accused of benefiting white students, according to a press release. (RELATED: Supreme Court Could End Race-Based Admissions At Elite US High Schools, Experts Say)
“An applicant’s connection to a Wesleyan graduate indicates little about that applicant’s ability to succeed at the University, meaning that legacy status has played a negligible role in our admission process for many years,” Michael Roth, Wesleyan University president, said in the press release. “Nevertheless, in the wake of the recent Supreme Court decision regarding affirmative action, we believe it important to formally end admission preference for ‘legacy applicants.’ We still value the ongoing relationships that come from multi-generational Wesleyan attendance, but there will be no ‘bump’ in the selection process.”
In addition to ending its use of legacy admissions policies, the university will continue to “ensure diversity in the student body,” increase its efforts to recruit veterans and create an annual scholarship program that supports and recruits students from Africa, the press release stated. The university is also working to increase financial aid support by normalizing its three-year program and developing its free online courses for credit.
“In the wake of the recent Supreme Court decision regarding affirmative action, we believe it important to formally end admission preference for “legacy applicants.” — Michael S. Roth ’78, President https://t.co/pmDadnR6vC
— Wesleyan University (@wesleyan_u) July 19, 2023
Similarly, the University of Minnesota decided Tuesday that it will no longer consider race, ethnicity, legacy or employment in its admissions process following the Supreme Court’s ruling against affirmative action.
In a 6-2 decision, the Supreme Court ruled in June to overturn Grutter v. Bollinger, which allowed universities to weigh race as a factor in the admissions process. Harvard University announced that it would be using applicant essays in order to continue to weigh students’ race.
After the decision, a civil rights advocacy group filed a federal complaint to the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights against Harvard University, arguing that the university’s use of legacy admissions is discriminating against applicants of color.
“By recruiting students, faculty and staff with diverse life experiences, attributes and points of view, we continue to build a diverse, energetic learning environment comprised of people who think critically and creatively and who value independence of mind and generosity of spirit,” Roth said in the press release. “Ending preferential legacy admission is the easy part.”
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