Pubdate: Thu, 01 Nov 2007
Source: Collegiate Times (VA Tech,  Edu)
Copyright: 2007 Collegiate Times
Contact:  http://www.collegiatetimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/699
Author: Rosanna Brown

US VA: EDU: GETTING HIGH COULD COST RECIPIENTS OF FINANCIAL AID

Students who are convicted of marijuana possession could lose their 
federal aid, and in some severe cases, have their aid revoked indefinitely.

Barry Simmons, director of scholarships and financial aid at Virginia 
Tech, said that only one student in the past five years has been 
affected by this policy.

Finding students who may be affected has become less common with time.

"We had to dig to find the one that we had," Simmons said.

He explained that there are several exceptions to the policy.

"You have to be convicted while enrolled, and that's been a recent 
change," Simmons said.

Also, in some cases, a student may be enrolled and still have their 
financial aid unaffected.

"If a student is a freshman and convicted with possession in May 
after filling out FASFA in February, and FASFA has already found the 
applicant eligible, then their federal aid goes unaffected," Simmons said.

In addition to these loopholes in the system, there is also no 
requirement by the university financial aid department to perform any 
background checks. Simmons said that because of this, the department 
must rely on the student's honesty in telling the school they were 
convicted of marijuana possession. The courts can, however, step in 
and reveal a student who was convicted if they see fit.

"There is a drug abuse hold file that a judge can activate on an 
individual when they apply for FASFA; but this doesn't appear to 
happen that often," Simmons said.

A student undergoing their first conviction for possession of 
marijuana will lose eligibility for federal aid for a year. A student 
who is convicted of intent to sell marijuana for the first time will 
lose their eligibility for two years.

A second conviction for marijuana posses-sion will cause students to 
lose two years federal aid. Those who have been convicted of intent 
to sell marijuana for a second time will lose their federal aid 
indefinitely. A third conviction for marijuana possession will also 
result in the loss of federal aid indefinitely.

Simmons explained that if a student's eligibility has been suspended 
indefinitely, they are able to regain eligibility by enrolling in an 
approved drug rehabilitation program.

The changes in policies have fluctuated so much recently that the 
policy is gaining a futile reputation.

"It's changed so much over the years that it's almost meaningless for 
the most part," Simmons said.

Geoff Allen, Virginia Tech community outreach officer, said that in 
2004 there were 34 arrests for the possession of marijuana. In 2005 
there were also 34 arrests, and, in 2006 there were 20.

Simmons said though arrests have declined, it may be due to less 
regulation rather than fewer students using the drug.

"The way the tide has been flowing, each year this regulation has 
been softened a little bit," Simmons said. "Unless there is a major 
change in Washington, I really don't see it being strengthened or 
tightened down on."

Kris Reinertson, a senior political science and sociology major, and 
president of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), agreed with 
the new development in regulation.

"Kicking students out for academic failure is one thing, but kicking 
successfulstudents out for drug use rather than guiding them toward 
better health isonly perpetuating the problem, and is 
counterproductive to the philosophy of ouruniversity policy," Reinertson said.

Relating illegal drug use to a student's federal aid seems to only 
complicate the red tape students have to hurdle through to receive 
their aid every year.

"One reason financial aid is so complex is because different people 
over the years have tacked on requirements that have nothing to do 
with financial aid," Simmons said. "(The conviction of marijuana 
possession) is just something a social issue that is tacked onto 
something that shouldn't be tacked onto."

Irina Alexander, a sophomore psychology major and vice president of 
SSDP, also feels that the link between financial aid and marijuana is 
unnecessary. "Any law that directly targets lower and middle income 
families, stripping theirchildren of means to an education, is 
unjust," Alexander said.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart