Wesleyan University Ends a 'Sign of Unfairness'

It joins small list of universities that have done away with legacy admissions
By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 19, 2023 2:51 PM CDT
Wesleyan University Ends a 'Sign of Unfairness'
The main green of Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn., is pictured on May 6, 2009.   (AP Photo/George Ruhe, File)

Following the Supreme Court's June decision to ban affirmative action in college admissions, the New York Times reports legacy admissions entered the crosshairs—and now one Connecticut university has joined a small but growing list of schools that have done away with them. Wesleyan University on Wednesday announced it would no longer give admissions preference to the children of alumni, following in the footsteps of Amherst, MIT, Johns Hopkins, and Carnegie Mellon.

It won't be a sea change for the liberal-arts school in Middletown: Wesleyan President Michael S. Roth told the Times the practice played a "negligible role" in admissions, but that it was "a sign of unfairness to the outside world" nonetheless. As the Wall Street Journal reports, legacy preferences "disproportionately [benefit] students who are wealthy and white." That wealthy part factors in to the hesitation some schools have to abandon the practice, which helps bolster alumni giving.

Axios reports that a recent poll found 75% of young Americans think the practice is unfair. The Hill notes Colorado is the sole state that bans the legacy admissions at state universities, though the Journal notes Connecticut lawmakers filed a bill last year that would ban it at all schools in the state. As for Wesleyan, "As has been almost always the case for a long time, family members of alumni will be admitted on their own merits," says Roth. (More college admissions stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X