Pubdate: Thu, 03 Feb 2005
Source: State News, The (MI State U, MI Edu)
Copyright: 2005 The State News
Contact:  http://www.statenews.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1246
Author: Margaret Harding, The State News
Cited: Students for Sensible Drug Policy http://www.ssdp.org/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?219 (Students for Sensible Drug Policy)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hea.htm (Higher Education Act)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/FAFSA
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Tom+Angell
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Mark+Souder

DRUG QUESTION ON FAFSA MIGHT BE ELIMINATED

Students who apply for financial aid in future years might notice a query 
missing from the application.

The question about whether an applicant has had a previous drug conviction 
was recommended to be removed from the Free Application for Federal Student 
Aid, or FAFSA, last week by a congressionally appointed committee.

"The drug question is irrelevant - it is not something that should even be 
taken into account," said Tom Angell, communications director for Students 
for Sensible Drug Policy. "The appearance of the question on the form could 
deter students from applying - even if they are actually eligible."

MSU's Office of Financial Aid has never denied financial aid to a student 
because of the question, which was added to the form in 1998, said Val 
Meyers, associate director for the office.

"We have to follow up on people if they answer 'yes,' but most of the time 
students answer the question incorrectly," Meyers said, adding students 
sometimes think they have a conviction but nothing appears on their record.

Meyers said checking into the student's background can delay the aid process.

The issue of students committing drug crimes and still receiving financial 
aid was a concern of U.S. Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind. He wrote a provision to 
prevent students with drug convictions from receiving federal aid that was 
added in 1998 as an amendment to the Higher Education Act, or HEA.

The law was originally written to apply to only those convicted of drug 
crimes while they are students, or while their application is pending. It 
was not written to apply to the time before someone is a student, Souder's 
spokesman, Martin Green, said.

But after congress passed the provision, it was misinterpreted to apply to 
previous drug convictions, Green said.

Souder has worked since then, with bipartisan support, to restore the 
original intent of the law, he said.

If people who are convicted of drug crimes before or during the time they 
are a student complete approved drug rehabilitation programs, which 
includes passing two unannounced drug tests, they will be eligible for aid, 
Green said.

The current interpretation makes those with drug convictions ineligible for 
aid, which is contrary to the spirit of the HEA, Angell said.

"The HEA was passed in 1965 in order to make college more accessible to 
people," Angell said. "The law is counterproductive to reduce drug abuse in 
our country. Many students are left wondering how closing doors to 
education will help the drug problem."

Even though there is no way to know how many students are discouraged by 
the question, Meyers said she has "a gut feeling" some are.

Criminal justice senior Kerry Gerdes said she supports getting rid of the 
drug question.

"If anyone's trying to go to school, they might as well try to get aid," 
Gerdes said. "After a conviction, the point is to reform - this is causing 
a problem for people who want to do better."

Meyers said there is a worry in using financial aid to control drug use.

"There is a general concern about using financial aid as a way to enforce 
drug laws - they should use law enforcement, not financial aid," Meyers said.

But Green said because students are using federal money, they should obey 
federal laws.

"The reasoning behind the law is simple. Students who receive taxpayer 
money to go to college have to obey the law," Green said, adding it was 
Souder's belief that if students are using drugs, they probably are not 
making the most of their education.

"They should be adult enough to know to obey the law even if they don't 
necessarily personally agree with it." 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake