While I am no fan of Penn State's legacy admission policy, I was astounded by the hypocrisy highlighted by the editorial ("PSU's legacy admission policy benefits no one," March 17). According to the editorial, "affirmative action supporters are attacking the preferences and declaring the process racist." What could possibly be more racist than an admission policy based on race?

The editorial goes on to make some very valid arguments against the legacy policy; arguments, though, that could easily be made against affirmative action as well. "Admitting students into a campus based on the status of relatives is not fair to applicants." But admitting students based on their race is fair?

The legacy policy can take away a spot at University Park from those whose parents did not attend Penn State, just as affirmative action can take away a spot from those who aren't a minority.

I'll be the first person to agree that Penn State's legacy admission policy is unfair, but it is no less fair than affirmative action. To call the legacy policy "racist" while defending affirmative action is duplicity at its worst.