GROUP PUSHES FOR DRUG LAW REFORM

Students Work to Halt Financial Aid Penalties for Drug Offenses

Stationing themselves in different places on campus this week, members
of UConn's chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) urged
their peers to speak out regarding a little-known provision in the
Higher Education Act.

This provision, "The Aid Elimination Penalty" dictates that in
addition to being punished by the law, students convicted of drug
offenses will lose federal financial aid for college.

Punishment is as follows: after a student is convicted of possession
of a controlled substance, they lose their aid for one year. After
their second offense, they lose aid for two years and after a third
offense, they will lose federal aid indefinitely, according to the
SSDP Web site.

Punishment for selling a controlled substance is stricter: the first
offense results in a two-year loss of federal financial aid and after
the second offense the student loses aid indefinitely.

Nearly 200,000 students have been denied financial aid because of this
policy, according to SSDP and in the last year alone, 6,106 students
were denied federal aid because of drug convictions.

Students who disagree with the penalty argue that it does more harm
than good, because drug offenders denied a college education are more
likely to turn to illegal activity. They also say the penalty favors
wealthy students who don't rely on financial aid to attend college.

Perhaps most of all, they take issue with the fact that the penalty
applies only to drug offenders.

No other criminal offense causes you to lose financial aid, according
to Tom Angell, spokesperson for SSDP's national office. He said has
found that students are outraged to learn that murderers, rapists and
burglars are eligible for financial aid, while a student convicted for
smoking marijuana is temporarily not. "We think it's a totally
counterproductive and senseless policy," Angell said.

A question on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
form asks whether students have been convicted of possession or
selling of drugs. If the answer is 'yes,' the student must fill out
subsequent forms to determine how long they will be denied federal
aid, according to SSDP.

According to SSDP, in some cases students who complete rehabilitation
programs can regain eligibility early. However, the penalty offers no
funding for such programs and SSDP argues that students who can't
afford college without aid probably can't afford private treatment.

SSDP is an international "grassroots network of students," stationed
in Washington, D.C. with chapters across the country and Canada. It
seeks to empower students to push for more sensible drug policies and
fight back against what it calls a "counterproductive Drug War."

UConn's chapter of SSDP was started last fall by Dan Cornelious, a
7th-semester political science major, who is now president of the
20-member group. The UConn SSDP chapter has been active on campus in a
variety of ways this past year, from hosting speakers and discussions
- - such as a medical marijuana panel held earlier this month - to
working with the administration to change drug policies and
punishments.

This week was called the "Week of Action" and was aimed at gaining
student support for repealing The Aid Elimination Penalty. Students
who walked by the group's tables were encouraged to show their support
for the repeal of the penalty by filling out postcards which will be
sent to Rep. Joe Courtney.

"Help solve our nation's drug problems," read the postcard. "Restore
education to students with drug convictions."

Cornelious said the group's goal is to have 1,000 of the postcards
filled out and sent to Courtney's office next week.

"We want to make sure he's paying attention," Cornelious said. "[We
want to] show Representative Courtney that this is an issue UConn
cares about."

Cornelious said he visited Courtney's office over the summer and spoke
about the issue with his staff, who seemed "very receptive to our message."

"We've gotten hints of positive feedback," he said.

"Mr. Courtney believes access to a higher education should be a
guarantee for all qualified students," said Brian Farber, Courtney's
communications director. "As Congress begins the process of
reauthorizing the Higher Education Act (HEA), Congress will certainly
review all provisions that may prevent students from receiving the
financial assistance needed to pursue a degree."

Morgan Romano, a 1st-semester undecided major and member of SSDP, said
she learned about the club at the involvement fair and joined largely
out of frustration with inequality in the punishments for marijuana
versus alcohol.

Tabling outside the student union Tuesday, she said she thought the
issue of revising the HEA was virtually unknown among students.

"I wouldn't know about it if I wasn't in the club," she said.