Pubdate: Tue, 24 Oct 2000
Copyright: 2000 Nando Media / 2000 AP Online
Pubdate: Mon, 23 Oct 2000
Source: The Nando Times
Contact:  http://www.nandotimes.com
Author:  Ron Word, Associated Press

DRUG CONVICTIONS HURT STUDENTS SEEKING FINANCIAL AID

Thanks to a new law, nearly 7,000 college students who applied for 
financial aid this fall are finding past drug convictions returning to 
haunt them.

The students are being told they are ineligible for some or all federal 
financial aid because under the law, which took effect with the 2000-01 
academic year, students with drug-related convictions can be ruled 
ineligible for federal grants or loans.

Of the 8.6 million applications processed through Oct. 15, 1,311 applicants 
have been ruled ineligible, and an additional 5,617 must complete a waiting 
period before they become eligible, Karen Freeman, a spokeswoman for the 
Education Department, said Monday.

The total of the two groups is less than 1 percent of those who applied. 
Students can lose one year of federal aid eligibility for a first 
conviction on a drug-possession charge, and two years for a second 
conviction. They can be suspended indefinitely for a third conviction.

About 790,000 applicants initially failed to answer the question of whether 
they had been convicted of using drugs when they filled out their student 
aid applications. But the Education Department contacted many of those 
students, and the number of those who have not yet answered is now down to 
275,000.

Department officials allowed college and university administrators to award 
aid this year to those who left the question blank, but warned those 
students to alert the department of any drug convictions or risk penalties 
for lying on their forms.

Students told officials that they didn't understand the question, did not 
think it pertained to them or forgot to answer it, Freeman said.

"Everyone will agree it could have been done better," she said. She said 
the question will be simpler and more direct on next year's form.

Kristi Ringor, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Students Association in 
Washington, said her organization fought the policy and remains opposed to it.

"It denies access to education to those who need it most," she said. "It is 
not a sound anti-drug policy."

The drug-conviction restriction was imposed by Congress when it renewed the 
Higher Education Act in 1998. The provision denies aid to students who have 
been convicted in state or federal court of possessing or selling drugs.
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