Collegiate Times

Students who are convicted of marijuana possession could lose their federal aid, and in some severe cases, have their aid revoked indefinitely.

Barry Simmons, director of scholarships and financial aid at Virginia Tech, said that only one student in the past five years has been affected by this policy.

Finding students who may be affected has become less common with time.

"We had to dig to find the one that we had," Simmons said.

He explained that there are several exceptions to the policy.

"You have to be convicted while enrolled, and that's been a recent change," Simmons said.

Also, in some cases, a student may be enrolled and still have their financial aid unaffected.

"If a student is a freshman and convicted with possession in May after filling out FASFA in February, and FASFA has already found the applicant eligible, then their federal aid goes unaffected," Simmons said.

In addition to these loopholes in the system, there is also no requirement by the university financial aid department to perform any background checks. Simmons said that because of this, the department must rely on the student's honesty in telling the school they were convicted of marijuana possession. The courts can, however, step in and reveal a student who was convicted if they see fit.

"There is a drug abuse hold file that a judge can activate on an individual when they apply for FASFA; but this doesn't appear to happen that often," Simmons said.

A student undergoing their first conviction for possession of marijuana will lose eligibility for federal aid for a year. A student who is convicted of intent to sell marijuana for the first time will lose their eligibility for two years.

A second conviction for marijuana posses-sion will cause students to lose two years federal aid. Those who have been convicted of intent to sell marijuana for a second time will lose their federal aid indefinitely. A third conviction for marijuana possession will also result in the loss of federal aid indefinitely.

Simmons explained that if a student's eligibility has been suspended indefinitely, they are able to regain eligibility by enrolling in an approved drug rehabilitation program.

The changes in policies have fluctuated so much recently that the policy is gaining a futile reputation.

"It's changed so much over the years that it's almost meaningless for the most part," Simmons said.

Geoff Allen, Virginia Tech community outreach officer, said that in 2004 there were 34 arrests for the possession of marijuana. In 2005 there were also 34 arrests, and, in 2006 there were 20.

Simmons said though arrests have declined, it may be due to less regulation rather than fewer students using the drug.

"The way the tide has been flowing, each year this regulation has been softened a little bit," Simmons said. "Unless there is a major change in Washington, I really don't see it being strengthened or tightened down on."

Kris Reinertson, a senior political science and sociology major, and president of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), agreed with the new development in regulation.

"Kicking students out for academic failure is one thing, but kicking successfulstudents out for drug use rather than guiding them toward better health isonly perpetuating the problem, and is counterproductive to the philosophy of ouruniversity policy," Reinertson said.

Relating illegal drug use to a student's federal aid seems to only complicate the red tape students have to hurdle through to receive their aid every year.

"One reason financial aid is so complex is because different people over the years have tacked on requirements that have nothing to do with financial aid," Simmons said. "(The conviction of marijuana possession) is just something a social issue that is tacked onto something that shouldn't be tacked onto."

Irina Alexander, a sophomore psychology major and vice president of SSDP, also feels that the link between financial aid and marijuana is unnecessary. "Any law that directly targets lower and middle income families, stripping theirchildren of means to an education, is unjust," Alexander said.