Welcome to a discussion about the upcoming 5th Revolution in the US, which I’ve titled the “Revenge Revolution.” For more about the Revenge Revolution and the author, Entry #1.  Periodically I write a “sense check” to assess whether a revolution in the US is possible or whether the entire exercise is based on a statistical aberration — i.e., a roughly 50-year cycle between major upheavals in the US Entry #476 was the most recent “sense check.”

BEGIN ENTRY #484: Well, well, well. Wealthy Republicans are beginning to understand that decisions have consequences. Soon after toasting the SCOTUS decision to overturn precedent and ban affirmative action, the Republicans began to realize legacy admissions were now on the chopping block.

No doubt many of the elite schools will find a way around any likely ban on legacy admissions, much like many of those schools will find a way around the ban on affirmative action.

The ban on legacies is supposedly being pursued to ensure equitable admissions at these elite institutions, just like the SCOTUS decision. Ironically, those pushing for a ban on legacy admissions are not thinking about possible consequences just like those pushing to ban affirmative action failed to consider consequences.

Yes, legacy admissions are overwhelmingly from white, wealthy families. But, who do you think donates large chunks of money to the school’s endowment; who do you think helps fund new buildings; and who do you think helps subsidize tuition of students admitted under affirmative action?  Don’t think too long about it. The answer is the families seeking legacy admissions.

What is the “opportunity cost” of denying one legacy admission?  That one legacy admission can generate a significant positive long-term financial impact on the academic institution.  What’s the downside?  Virtually nothing since the legacy rarely goes into a high-profile public position – George W. Bush being an exception – and many of those admitted will go back into the family business or live off a trust fund.

Simple example. The brother of a grammar-school classmate of mine was admitted to a high-profile, smaller private college. The brother was at best marginally qualified.

Why was he admitted? The father agreed to fund construction of a new building on campus.

Those wanting to ban legacy admissions should do the math.  The result of admitting one marginally qualified student was a new building that benefited thousands of students over the life of the building.

Given the benefits derived from preference given to the legacy student, who is being harmed? By the way, the student ended up going back to the family business.

There’s a potential cascading effect of eliminating any preferential treatment. Where does one draw the line allowing the institution to favor certain students academically and not others?  If affirmative action is eliminated for academic admission and then legacy admissions, the next logical step is to eliminate preferential treatment for athletes. 

Does anyone really think that 10 of the 12 members of the basketball team at say Duke University are   academically qualified? Same with athletes recruited for most high-profile football teams.

When the lawsuit is filed to eliminate preferential treatment for athletes, it will be fun to watch the Supreme Court use their pretzel logic to justify why sports admissions should be excluded while affirmative action and legacies are not. It will be even more fun to watch members of Congress react when they realize that athletic admissions to their favorite university have been changed. END ENTRY #484

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