Pubdate: Fri, 21 Apr 2006
Source: City Paper, The (TN)
Copyright: 2006, The City Paper,LLC
Contact:  http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3080
Author: Vandana Atreya
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hea.htm (Higher Education Act)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?219 (Students for Sensible Drug Policy)

STATE STUDENTS WITH CONVICTIONS DENIED FED AID

More than 3,300 prospective college students in Tennessee have been 
denied federal financial aid since the 2000-01 school year due to 
prior drug convictions, according to newly released data from the 
U.S. Department of Education.

Nationally, about 200,000 students were denied federal aid during 
that time period. The total number of national applications was about 
77 million, while Tennessee had about 1.4 million.

Recently, the Department of Education released the data following a 
Freedom of Information Act request by the Washington D.C-based 
nonprofit group Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP). The federal 
department had refused to release both the national and 
state-by-state count of students denied federal financial aid on 
grounds that it would be counter-productive to the anti-drug message.

Two months ago, the U.S. Congress scaled back a federal law that 
stripped financial aid from college students with drug convictions. 
With the change, students with past drug offenses can now receive 
federal or state financial aid as long as the drug convictions did 
not happen while the students were enrolled in college and receiving 
financial aid.

The Higher Education Act (HEA) aid elimination penalty was originally 
enacted in 1988. College students had to declare prior drug 
convictions on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). 
An answer of "yes" to the drug conviction question basically rendered 
the student ineligible to receive financial aid, regardless of 
whether the conviction was prior to the person's entering college.

Now that the regulations have changed, SSDP is pushing for further 
changes including filing a class action lawsuit to claim retroactive 
payment of monies to students denied aid.

"We think this policy causes more drug abuse by denying students a 
chance to go to college," said Tom Angell, national campaign director 
for SSDP. "The state-by-state numbers verify how many students have 
been denied help."

Most Tennessee institutions involved with administering student 
financial aid agree the state number of 3,342 is fairly high in 
comparison to the national count.

Stephen White, director of student aid at Nashville State Community 
College, said NSCC has not done any research related to the release 
of the numbers. However, he said only about 10-15 students might be 
affected with the class action lawsuit.

"It is certainly a large number in relationship to regulations that 
stipulate the number of students [in Tennessee] denied federal 
financial aid. However, the impact at our college would be minor."

White said it seems SSDP (or any other such group) is making a point 
to isolate only drug offenses as a crime subject to punishment.

"Anyone convicted of a crime should be subject to similar treatment," he said.

Darolyn Porter, student financial aid compliance administrator for 
the Tennessee Student Assistance Corp. (TSAC), said she would be 
surprised to see retroactive changes because typically when federal 
regulations change, they date forward.

Porter said it is difficult to anticipate the changes the Tennessee 
numbers would have on TSAC because financial aid is given to students 
across the board.

"The reality is we don't know if the students affected were low 
income or had other restrictions," she said. "Basically, TSAC will 
abide by the law and pay for students' [assistance] if they are 
eligible for state-funded monies."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman