What you need to know: Governor Newsom signed legislation today prohibiting California’s private nonprofit colleges from considering legacy and donor preferences in college admissions.
September 30, 2024 - Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that he has signed AB 1780 by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) to 
prohibit legacy and donor preferences in the admissions process for private, nonprofit institutions. Legacy status and donor preferences have long been excluded from the state’s public university admissions process. The University of California system eliminated legacy preferences in 1998.
“In California, everyone should be able to get ahead through merit, skill, and hard work. The California Dream shouldn’t be accessible to just a lucky few, which is why we’re opening the door to higher education wide enough for everyone, fairly.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling last summer restricting the use of race in college admissions. In light of this shift, proponents of AB 1780 advocated for admissions criteria that additionally ensure that factors like wealth or personal relationships do not unduly influence admissions decisions. AB 1780 aims to ensure that admissions decisions are based on merit rather than personal connections — reducing biases in the admissions process at private colleges in California.
Under the new law, all private colleges and universities in the state must submit an annual report to disclose compliance.
Assemblymember Phil Ting: “If we value diversity in higher education, we must level the playing field. That means making the college application process more fair and equitable. Hard work, good grades and a well-rounded background should earn you a spot in the incoming class – not the size of the check your family can write or who you’re related to. I thank the Governor for agreeing with me and supporters of AB 1780 – that every student deserves a fair shot at their dream school.”
Governor Newsom’s efforts to improve access to higher education
✔️ Two Years of Free Community College: Provided up to two years of community college tuition-free for first-time, full-time students and other eligible returning students.
✔️ Debt-Free College for Foster Students: Expanded the Middle Class Scholarship to include the Fostering Futures program, covering students with experience in foster care to cover tuition, fees and other related expenses enrolled in CSU and UC.
✔️ Financial Aid Application Requirement: Required high schools to certify that their seniors complete the FAFSA/CADAA, ensuring that federal and state financial aid dollars are not left on the table by students in need.
✔️ College Affordability: Major investments in college affordability, including support for the development of $2.1 billion to build affordable student housing at UC, CSU, and the community colleges, $115 million for Open Educational Resources at the California Community Colleges, $637.2 million to revise and strengthen the Middle Class Scholarship program, and efforts to pursue zero-cost textbook courses and make the College Corps program permanent.
✔️ Higher Education Opportunity for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Signed AB 447 to encourage CSU and UC to establish and maintain inclusive college programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to promote inclusion, employment, and independent living.
✔️ NCAA Name, Image, & Likeness: Signed legislation giving student athletes in California the ability to benefit financially from their name, image, and likeness. This was the first law of its kind in the nation and it led the NCAA to change its rules in July 2021.
Source: Office of the Governor
