FINANCIAL AID DENIAL PROMPTS PETITION

The recently recognized Drug Policy Reform Organization presented the
Associated Students board with a resolution designed to prevent the denial
of federal financial aid to students convicted of any drug-related crime.
The DPRO, a Western student organization, gathered more than 300 signatures
to petition the A.S. board into action against the new provision. "I think
there is a lot of support in the A.S.," DPRO co-founder Tyree Callahan said.
"It is a big issue on campus." The issue Callahan spoke of is a change in
the Higher Education Act of 1965, the act facilitating federal financial
aid, that demands the immediate suspension of financial aid to anyone
convicted of a drug-related crime. The change also makes students already
convicted ineligible for one year following their first arrest, effective
July 1.

The provision, section 483 subsection "F" of the HEA, states any student who
"has been convicted of any offense under any federal or state law involving
the possession or sale of a controlled substance shall not receive any
grant, loan or work assistance under this title." "I know it would impact
the students," A.S. President Victor Cox said. "I personally hope we can
make a difference and take this out of the Higher Education Act." If
ratified, the resolution the DPRO proposes wouldn't have any legal value, it
would only be a show of support for Rep. Barney Frank's, D-Mass., bill to
repeal subsection "F".

"This act goes above the university," Cox said. Cox said he believes a
"grassroots" political effort may be successful in nullifying the provision.

"We are successful every year with legislation in Olympia," Cox said. "Baby
steps are what we are taking now." "Students who are interested in repealing
the Higher Education Act drug provision should contact not only the A.S.
board members but also contact their elected officials in Congress, too,"
Callahan said. DPRO co-founder Kevin Feeney said he sees the provision as
unethical and an unequal way of limiting funds to certain segments of the
student body. "It is basically implementing a law that some people have to
abide by and others don't," Feeney said. "It's going to be the poorer or
middle-class students who will be targeted." Students who would have the
most difficulty fighting a drug charge are the ones most likely to be on
financial aid, Feeney said. "It just keeps perpetuating our cycle of
inequality," Cox said. Feeney said minority advocacy groups at Western are
also vocal in their disdain for the provision.

"I definitely see this as being a threat to minority groups," Feeney said.
"I think we already have problems with diversity in our higher academic
institutions." Feeney said because of police profiling and economic
disadvantage, minority groups are more likely to be convicted of drug crimes
and will be disproportionately affected by the restriction.

"Racial profiling is something that exists in our society, unfortunately,"
Cox said. If the DPRO's efforts fail and subsection F takes effect, Callahan
said his organization is looking at alternative solutions. "One option we
are looking into is getting the Financial Aid Office to create a fund to
help students who get convicted," Callahan said. The organization is also
looking for ways to reform drug policies at Western and in Whatcom County.

The A.S. board will enact the resolution on May 17.