[BostonCard]

The argument is that legacy status is an immutable characteristic.  There is nothing that an individual can do to change their legacy status, and it says nothing about the applicant.  While you can quibble a lot about the relevance of athletic achievement is to a university, it at least is an individual's own accomplishment, and generally a sign of drive, leadership, etc.  I'm now of the opinion that we should de-emphasize the role of athletics, but I don't think that athletic achievement ought to be completely irrelevant to university admission (as are other extracurriculars, student government, volunteering, musical accomplishment, etc.). There is no formula for admitting people to Stanford (GPA x 400 + SAT or whatever the old Durrett formula was) nor do I think we want one.

As for the State's interest, it should be obvious for state schools, but even private schools get federal and state (eg https://www.cirm.ca.gov/active-awards-portfolio/) money, and all of them are tax exempt, presumably because they advance the state's interest in educating its citizens.

BC

[BostonCard]

The argument is that legacy status is an immutable characteristic.  There is nothing that an individual can do to change their legacy status, and it says nothing about the applicant.  While you can quibble a lot about the relevance of athletic achievement is to a university, it at least is an individual's own accomplishment, and generally a sign of drive, leadership, etc.  I'm now of the opinion that we should de-emphasize the role of athletics, but I don't think that athletic achievement ought to be completely irrelevant to university admission (as are other extracurriculars, student government, volunteering, musical accomplishment, etc.). There is no formula for admitting people to Stanford (GPA x 400 + SAT or whatever the old Durrett formula was) nor do I think we want one.

As for the State's interest, it should be obvious for state schools, but even private schools get federal and state (eg https://www.cirm.ca.gov/active-awards-portfolio/) money, and all of them are tax exempt, presumably because they advance the state's interest in educating its citizens.

BC