Bill > S928

This bill aims to ban legacy preferences in higher education admissions across Massachusetts, applying to both public universities in the University of Massachusetts and state university systems, as well as private degree-granting institutions authorized by the state's board of higher education. Specifically, the legislation prohibits educational institutions from considering an applicant's familial relationship to alumni during the admissions process and bars them from including any documentation that reveals the names of colleges or universities previously attended by the applicant's relatives. The bill will take effect for admission decisions leading to initial student enrollment in the 2026-2027 school year, meaning colleges and universities will need to modify their admissions practices to remove any preference given to children or relatives of alumni. Legacy preferences have long been criticized as perpetuating socioeconomic inequities by giving an advantage to applicants from families with existing educational privilege, and this bill represents a step toward creating a more meritocratic and equitable college admissions process in Massachusetts.

Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S928