On Monday, the Senate approved three bills impacting higher education in the state of Virginia.
Two were passed by narrow Democratic margins. One prohibits colleges from asking applicants on an application if he or she has a criminal history, an effort known as âbanning the box.â
The other requires five universities to identify their enslaved laborers and offer a scholarship or economic program to the descendants of the enslaved.
A third bill that passed unanimously requires college governing boards to meet a higher level of transparency.
All three bills now head to the governorâs desk for approval.
Banning the boxThe General Assembly has endorsed a push to âban the boxâ on college applications, which stops public colleges from asking applicants on the initial application if they have a criminal record.