STUDENT AID BILL GAINS SUPPORT IN IOWA

Many Back Legislation To Sever The Link Between Aid And Drug Convictions

Some Iowa college students and financial aid officials are hailing
legislation in Congress that would once again allow students with drug
convictions to qualify for federal financial aid.

"We feel that the provision was counterproductive," said George Pappas of
Chicago, a University of Iowa senior majoring in political science.
"It's basically taking the opportunity of education away from people who
may have a drug problem but are wanting to turn their lives around."

The ban on financial aid to students with drug convictions was imposed in
1998 as an amendment to the federal Higher Education Act. Certain
drug convictions don't count, such as those that happened before the
student was 18.

Three Democrats in the U.S. House -Barney Frank of Massachusetts, Elijah
Cummings of Maryland and Dennis Kucinich of Ohio -today will introduce
legislation to do away with the ban.

Advocates say the legislation would affect "tens of thousands of students"
nationwide who have been denied financial aid. However, the ban appears to
have affected only a handful of Iowa college students -about 12 each year
at U of I, and even fewer at Iowa State University.

"Periodically, one or two students a year are tripped up by this
situation," said Roberta Johnson, ISU's director of financial aid.

Pappas, 24, president and founder the U of I chapter of Students for
Sensible Drug Policy, said he doesn't use drugs but has been fighting on
behalf of others who have been denied aid.

Cathy Wilcox, associate director of U of I's Office of Student Financial
Aid, called the issue a "long-standing problem" and agreed the provision
should be removed from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

"It should not have any bearing on whether the students should receive
aid," Wilcox said. "People can be convicted for other crimes and still get
aid."

University officials said they do not keep statistics on how many have been
denied financial aid.

Johnson said a problem with the ban is that it has relied on students'
honesty. Financial aid officials have no way of verifying whether students
have drug convictions in their home states, she said.

Kevin Owens, a U of I sophomore from Cedar Rapids, is among those
supporting repeal of the ban. "I hope they revoke it," he said. "Kids make
mistakes."

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Mark Souder, an Indiana Republican, has said the
law was supposed to apply only to college students convicted of drug
offenses while receiving financial aid. His office did not return a call
seeking comment.