NATIONAL ACTIVIST GROUP TO BATTLE PROVISION TO DRUG LAW, NU STUDENTS UNAFFECTED

A national student activist group and the American Civil Liberties
Union are working to file a lawsuit to overturn legislation that
denies financial aid to college students with drug convictions.

A drug provision added to the Higher Education Act in 2000 denies
federal student aid to college students convicted of the sale or
possession of drugs. Students for Sensible Drug Policy, a nationwide
student organization for reforming the act, contends the provision is
unconstitutional and that it has illegally cost 175,000 students
their government aid.

I think once someone has served their time they've paid their debt to
society," said Matt Atwood, a member of the SSDP board of directors.
Atwood is a graduate of Loyola University and estimated that 20 to 30
of his peers had lost aid because of the law.

Robert Bennett, a professor of law at Northwestern who specializes in
the Constitution, said he was skeptical of the SSDP's claim that the
drug provision is unconstitutional.

The government has the power to spend money and attach conditions to
the receipt of that money," Bennett said.

According to NU's Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid, the drug
provision has not affected any NU students.

We've never actually encountered an undergraduate student (who
receives financial aid) that's had a drug conviction for use or
selling," said Mike Mills, associate provost for university enrollment.

About 3,200 NU undergraduates receive financial aid, with only about
800 getting federal aid, Mills said. Federal student aid includes
grants, loans and work-study jobs.

The drug provision only applies to students tried as adults. It calls
for first-time drug offenders to be denied financial aid for one year
for possession and two years for drug sales. Penalties increase with
further offenses.

Students may regain their financial aid after successful completion
of a recognized drug rehabilitation program.

Associated Student Government Lawyer Patty Marinakis said that in the
course of a year she advises fewer than a dozen students charged with
drug violations, all of which are usually misdemeanors. But she does
not represent these students in court and has never advised a student
on loss of aid, she said.

Whether any NU students have been convicted of misdemeanor violations
and either completed a rehabilitation program or chosen not to apply
for aid remains unclear.

NU students had mixed reactions to the prospect of losing financial
aid due to drugs. Many financial aid recipients were unaware of the provision.

Honestly, I don't have a problem with (the provision) because drugs
are bad," said Jessica Bell, a Weinberg freshman. "It doesn't affect me."

McCormick freshman Keanen Ryan said he didn't see how the law would
deter students from using drugs.

People before using drugs don't think they will lose their financial
aid," he said.