Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) have introduced new legislation that aims to ban the practice of considering applicants' relationship to school alumni and donors in college admissions.
The Merit-Based Educational Reforms and Institutional Transparency Act, or MERIT Act, would prohibit accredited higher education institutions from granting preferential treatment in admissions processes based on an applicant's relationship to alumni or donors. The amendment to the Higher Education Act would be paired with a required study to improve data collection on the influence of legacy and donor relationships in admissions decisions.
