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Student coalition disputes aid rule Forums will seek action against federal denial of college help for applicant with a drug record By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Saying it smacks of racial discrimination, a newly formed coalition of minority students has urged federal lawmakers to repeal a rule that denies college financial aid based on a drug felony conviction. Two forums, part of a so-called "Day of Action," will be held at 11 a.m. today at Southern Oregon University and at noon at Rogue Community College by the Oregon Students of Color Coalition, which started local chapters last year. Coalition members, who number about 100 statewide, say students shouldn't be denied financial aid for a felony drug conviction because they have already paid the price in fines or jail time. They say the affected students, many of whom are poor or minorities, essentially find the doors to higher education closed to them. "Does the government need to punish people twice for the same crime or can correctional institutions handle it?" asks SOU student Mara Early, who co-chairs the statewide coalition of seven public universities and three other higher education institutions. RCC student Emma Delgado said, "Basically, I feel it is being discriminatory toward people of lower incomes and to people of color." Federal financial aid forms at RCC and SOU ask students if they have ever been convicted of a drug felony. In many cases, if the student answers "yes" or leaves the question unanswered, they could be denied financial aid. Students say that 14,000 people have been denied aid this year. The financial aid office at SOU says that of the 5,000 students who apply annually, only about two a year have been denied aid because of the rule, enacted in 1998. The office has no way of verifying the responses from applicants. Early, who said some people might be reluctant to fill out the form because of the question, said it amounts to further punishment for students who have decided to straighten their lives out, but are being denied help. "The question only asks about drug convictions, not about murder, rape or any other convictions," she said. "Smart people make mistakes, but they can clean up their act, Early said. "This creates a cycle that doesn't make sense." Delgado, a coalition board member, agrees, "I would much rather err on the fact that a person can change their life and get an education. There has got to be some way to reverse the life they've been leading." Coalition students are backing House Resolution 786, co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio and Earl Blumenauer, both Democrats, which would repeal the higher education drug rule, created in 1965. They are also encouraging other Oregon lawmakers to back the resolution, which comes up for review this year. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.