UPDATE | May 26, 2021 — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill Tuesday making the state a leader in the nationwide effort to ban legacy admissions at public colleges and universities. Click here to read more.
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A bill banning legacy status from consideration in college admissions has been introduced in the Colorado General Assembly.
HB21-1173 is sponsored by Adams County Democratic Rep. Kyle Mullica and Democratic State Sen. Brittany Pettersen of Jefferson County.
Among the bill’s backers is the University of Colorado. Executive Director of Admissions Clark Brigger said this is not a primary consideration for CU, but he explained the reason why colleges are interested in legacy status.
“If a student’s family members attended CU Boulder, they probably grew up watching CU football games, they probably have sweatshirts and things that say Colorado on them, and therefore the predictability of that student actually coming to CU is very high," Brigger said.
Brigger said removing legacy status consideration will even the playing field for students, and increase access for first-generation college students and students from lower income families.
According to the text of HB21-1173, it “prohibits a governing board of a state-supported higher education institution from considering legacy.” The bill would still allow colleges to ask questions regarding familial relationships to alumni of the institution in order to collect data.
