Bill > S950

This bill requires all 4-year, degree-granting higher education institutions in Massachusetts to submit an annual report by December 31st to the attorney general and department of higher education detailing their admissions practices. The report must include information about admissions preferences for legacy students (those with relatives who attended the institution), students related to donors, early decision, and early action applicants. Institutions must provide detailed demographic breakdowns of enrolled students, including their Pell Grant status and racial subgroups. The bill prohibits institutions from considering legacy status or donor relationships in admissions without paying a "public service fee" calculated as a percentage of the institution's endowment, with fees ranging from 0.01% to 0.2% depending on the institution's endowment per student. Institutions with endowments over $1.5 billion must pay at least $1 million, and those with endowments over $2 billion must pay at least $2 million. The collected fees will be deposited into a new Higher Education Opportunity Trust Fund, which will support public community colleges and state universities. The bill aims to increase transparency in college admissions and create a mechanism to discourage preferential admissions practices that may disadvantage low-income or first-generation students. The provisions will take effect on July 1, 2026.

Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S950