US NC: DRUG QUESTION COULD BE REMOVED FROM FAFSA FORM

Drug Question Could be Removed from FAFSA Form

A question that has brought much controversy and surprise among students,
educators and government officials could be removed from the FAFSA
financial aid forms soon.

The question as to whether or not the applicant has had a previous drug
conviction was recommended to be removed from the form by a congressionally
appointed committee last week.

Many personnel and students agree that the question has become or should be
irrelevant to receiving financial aid.

"Drug use shouldn't have anything to do with receiving financial aid
because a guy could just be caught doing minor drugs once, gets caught and
gets kept out of college because he can't pay for it," freshman in chemical
engineering Gabe Ramos said. "All because of one stupid mistake he made
when he was 15."

The question does not specify a certain time limit for drug usage and many
believe that it is not specific enough for an answer to be of any relevance.

"I do have a problem with it being on there, especially since there is no
time limit," Student Legal Services Director Pam Gerace said. "For people
that had messed up years before, it could really come back to haunt them."

The proposal was written up in 1998 by Rep. Mark Souder as a concern for
those receiving financial aid who were involved with drugs.

There are those who see Souder's point.

"It is kind of relevant because you get a refund check in the mail that is
supposed to go for books or supplies, but instead you could buy drugs with
that," freshman in design Rhonda Lewis said.

Individuals convicted of a drug charge are also required to attend a
rehabilitation program, a fact which some say makes the question even more
irrelevant.

"I do not think the question is fair, especially if the courts have already
dealt with them," Director of Financial Aid Julie Rice Mallette said. "But
some congressman thought it would be a good idea to add, and so there it was."

At N.C. State, the drug question has not been too much of a hindrance to
receiving financial aid. Most of the students who do answer "yes" go
through a rehab program, or they are excused for other reasons.

"We have had the issue come up with several students," Gerace said. "But
fortunately most of those issues dealt with drug paraphernalia, which
slipped through the cracks because it didn't fit the category of the question."

The question of paraphernalia was not considered as part of the question as
only a conviction of drug usage was on the form.

Many also wonder why people would answer "yes" when there is really no way
of checking if someone had used them or not.

"The question was pretty irrelevant, because who is really going to answer
yes, but I guess if you lie, they have ways of figuring it out," Lewis said.

But according to Mallette, this isn't necessarily the case.

"There is no real database for the question of drug use like there is for
social security numbers and felonies." said Mallette. "So I often wonder
how they check or if they would check when someone says no."

The fact that the question was on the form surprised many students.

"It kind of shocked me that it was up there, because it seems like if
someone does answer 'yes' then they wouldn't be offered financial aid,"
freshman Lauren Leitner said. "Even if someone had done drugs then they
would still put no, because they have no way of checking that, unless
you've been convicted."