Thursday, April 26, 2007
Getting caught smoking a joint could cost a college student thousands of dollars in federal financial aid.
That’s why Carrie Wallace, Lawrence senior, and Dana Maher, Omaha, Neb., senior, are trying to raise awareness about a provision in the Higher Education Act that denies federal aid to convicted drug offenders. Wallace and Maher are trying to form a student organization in connection with the national Students for Sensible Drug Policy organization.
pullquote
The FAFSA is what we have to take into consideration.
- Stephanie Covington, associate director of the Office of Student Financial Aid
“It’s unfair that drug convictions are the only ones that lose aid,” Wallace said.
First-time marijuana offenses are treated as misdemeanors in Lawrence, but in other states, drug possessions can be treated as convictions.
Students with drug convictions must disclose that on their FAFSA form, which could affect their eligibility for financial aid.
Wallace and Maher said although they were promoting looser marijuana policy, they’re not potheads.
“We’re not pot smokers, but we have enjoyed it in the past,” Wallace said. “It’s not a habit and that’s the nice thing about marijuana.”
Stephanie Covington, associate director of the Office of Student Financial Aid, said although it hasn’t been a huge issue on this campus, the University complies with the federal requirements.
“The FAFSA is what we have to take into consideration,” Covington said.
Janet Roecker, associate director of the Office of Student Financial Aid, said if students indicate that they have a drug conviction on the FAFSA, they are required to fill out an additional worksheet that determines when their conviction occurred and if the student completed a drug rehabilitation program.
Students could then bring in the worksheet to the financial aid office to determine if they could be eligible for aid at some point during the semester, she said.
Covington said students who apply for tuition grants or awards from the University must still fill out the FAFSA.
Diane Lindeman, director of student financial assistance for the Kansas Board of Regents Office, said the board also follows the same federal guidelines.
“It actually has never come up for us,” said Lindelman, who has worked for the board for seven years.
Both Wallace and Maher said they knew people who had been kicked out of residence and scholarship halls at the University for marijuana use.
Wallace said while the department of student housing has a clear-cut policy on alcohol, its policy on drug use doesn’t specify what happens to students if they violate it.
The handbook on the department of student housing’s Web site states, “Manufacturing, possessing, selling, transmitting, using, or being party to any illegal drug activity, controlled substance, or drug paraphernalia is a violation of university and housing policy as well as a violation of the law.”
Maher said harsh drug laws had affected him as a child because his stepfather, who owned a successful catering business, was convicted of possessing a small amount of marijuana and was imprisoned.
“It caused my mom a huge burden and it was totally unfair,” Maher said. “It also hurt the local economy because his business was gone.”
Wallace said in order to get the drug provision in the Higher Education Act changed, students should call their U.S. Senators and tell them they want the provision removed.
Wallace said it had been tough so far to gauge student interest.
“People think it’s awesome and it’s great but they don’t want their name involved,” she said. “It’s really important to speak out on policy.”
Kansan staff writer Tyler Harbert can be contacted at tharbert@kansan.com.
— Edited by Mark Vierthaler
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