Pubdate: Fri, 06 Sep 2002 Source: Detroit Free Press (MI) Copyright: 2002 Detroit Free Press Contact: http://www.freep.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/125 Author: Amanda Brazel Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hea.htm (Higher Education Act) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) SENSELESS BARRIERS From 1985 to 2000, corrections spending in Michigan grew by 227 percent, in contrast to higher education's 27 percent growth. That's eight times the rate of higher education spending, while tuition fees increased 82 percent over the last decade. At $28,000 per prisoner, the state could pay the annual tuition of five students at a public university. Another barrier that must be eliminated is the provision in the Higher Education Act that denies financial aid to students with drug convictions on their records. This also impacts minorities at a disparaging rate, as African Americans make up half of all drug crime convictions. Since the provision's enforcement began in 2000, 87,000 students have been denied aid. Amanda Brazel, Warren - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager