Pubdate: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 Source: Vista, The (OK Edu) Copyright: 2001 The Vista Online Contact: http://www.thevistaonline.com/. Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2826 Author: Sarah Blount Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hea.htm (Higher Education Act) LEGISLATION MAY LOOSEN FINANCIAL AID DRUG POLICY A revision of the Higher Education Act (HEA) in 1998, which denies federal aid to students who have been convicted in a state or federal court of possessing or selling drugs, has led to a nationwide campaign to repeal the provision. The HEA Drug Provision was introduced by Representative Mark Souder (R-Ind.) in the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and became public law on October 7 1998. The revision to the HEA includes a provision that closes college opportunities to students who reveal any drug convictions on their application forms. A coalition of Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, led by Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass), introduced legislation H.R. 786 to repeal the ban on federal financial aid to students with drug convictions. Under current law, students who have one conviction of drug possession are neligible for federal aid for one year. Students with 2 convictions are ineligible for 2 years, and students with 3 convictions face an indefinite period of ineligibility. Students convicted of drug dealing face 2 years of ineligibility for one conviction and an indefinite period for further convictions. Students who undergo rehabilitation, including two unannounced drug tests, may resume eligibility before their ineligibility period is over. According to the Department of Education, 279,044 students failed to answer the drug question on the student applications in 2000. Until recently, failure to answer the question has been largely ignored, and students have received aid. Tighter enforcement from the Department of Education in 2000 has resulted in increase of delays and denial of student aid if the student answers yes or leaves the question blank. According to the Department of Education, an estimated 8,600 students were barred from financial aid for the 2000-2001 year. Thousands more are anticipated to be denied this year. Advocates of the repeal bill include campus organizations such as Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP). This organization works to reform U.S. drug policy and gain national support for repeal. Panhandle State University senior Lana Anderton is president of a local chapter she recently started at her school. Anderton started the chapter to bring the HEA to public attention. "These are everyday students being denied education," Anderton said. "They're usually depending on financial aid." SSDP believes the provision is discriminatory, affecting only low-income students, while also penalizing a person twice for the same crime. PSU's chapter plans to write letters to senators and other government officials, as well as gather further support from the public. Other student governments like UC Berkeley have been an active part in seeking a resolution to the appeal. As a result, opposition has gained national press in magazines including Rolling Stone, which has run SSDP ads and articles about the HEA. Working with Congressman Frank are other House Representatives, members of Student Financial Aid Administrations, and other campus drug reform organizations. Currently, Oklahoma has two SSDP chapters, one at Panhandle State University and one at Oklahoma State University. Oklahoma Baptist University is in the process of starting a new chapter.