DRUG OFFENDERS COULD LOSE FINANCIAL AID

As a provision of the Higher Education Act is poised to take financial aid
funds from drug offenders this fall, a student group is garnering support
for a bill opposing the recent stipulation.

If passed, the bill would repeal the 1998 drug provision of the Higher
Education Act that makes students involved in drug-related crime no matter
how minor ineligible for federal student financial aid.

No leniency is permitted on the basis of need, good character, a clean prior
record or other extenuating circumstances, said members of the formerly
active Drug Policy Forum of Texas-University Chapter. The U.S. Congress is
currently considering the bill, which aims to reward financial aid to
students without considering drug convictions.

The Drug Policy Forum, although currently inactive, is trying to garner the
support of students. The group aims to become active next fall with more
members and resources.

Michael Cohn, a Plan II and psychology senior and member of the group, said
the provision is unnecessary because financial aid is related to academic
performance, not drug use.

"If these drug-involved students really are wasting their financial aid, the
mechanism to take it away is already there," Cohn said. "We don't need a new
punishment of a type that's not assessed for theft, rape or murder."

The students also circulated a petition that acquired 250 student
signatures. Cohn and other members of the Drug Policy Forum took their
concerns to Student Government, which passed a resolution in agreement with
the group.

Parisa Fatehi, SG president at the time the resolution was passed, said
after listening to the organization's argument, reading their materials and
debating the issue, SG agreed to support their efforts.

"I felt they made a good case," Fatehi said. "Currently, punishment by the
federal government as is is fine and should be kept separate from
education."

Former Drug Policy Forum members argue that the provision also unfairly
targets lower-to middle-class individuals and minorities.

"The law has no effect on wealthier students who do not need financial aid,"
a press release from the group ead.

The petition, along with SG's resolution, was sent to Congress in February.

So far, no Fall 2000 UT applicants have reported drug convictions on their
Free Application for Student Aid, said Henry Urick, assistant director of
the Office of Student Financial Services.

"I know of no student who will be impaired in the fall," Urick said, adding
that he has already received approximately 39,000 applications more than
half of the applications he will receive in all.

He added that protesting now is futile since applications including the
provision have been around since November 1999 for early admission
candidates.

"This is kind of a bit late," Urick said. "This application has been out on
the street for a while."

Cohn said he is looking past this fall and into future years.

"I am sure it will be too late for the upcoming school year, but it is no
reason to give up," Cohn said.