Scholarship bypasses federal law

Associated Press

BELLINGHAM — Western Washington University students who lose federal financial aid because of drug convictions may get a little scholarship help from student government.

"It’s not to reward someone who made a mistake," said Corey Eichner, student body president. "The idea is to help people who are showing a desire to make their life better."

The Associated Students’ governing board has voted 6-1 to set up a $750 scholarship for those who have lost financial aid because of past convictions for selling or possessing illegal drugs.

Starting last year, federal law has barred such students from receiving federally funded financial aid for at least one year after each conviction.

Last year’s Associated Students executive board passed a resolution condemning the law, Eichner said.

"A lot of universities feel the provision is discriminatory to underrepresented populations as well as to low-income families," he said.

"It’s also become a concern at a lot of universities, including ours, that the federal government should be trying to help people get a higher education, not making it more difficult."

Eichner said he had not heard of another university with such a scholarship.

So far, only one Western student has lost federal aid because of a previous drug conviction, said Clara Capron, director of student financial resources. Under the law, the aid can be reinstated if the student completes a federally approved drug-rehabilitation program, she said.

"If they actually complete the rehabilitation program during the middle of the quarter, they can be eligible for aid during that quarter," Capron said.

"We understand why the students would have an interest in wanting to make sure a student who has had a conviction but was trying to turn his life around would have support," said Eileen Coughlin, Western’s vice president of student affairs. "But since that’s not been a major issue on campus, I can’t judge what kind of an impact that would have."

Elected student leaders have been discussing the scholarship since November, when it was first proposed by the Associated Students’ Drug Information Center, Eichner said.

Applicants must also submit two letters of recommendation — one from a drug counselor, teacher, minister or other person aware of the student’s rehabilitation efforts.

The scholarship will be offered for the first time in the 2002-03 academic year. It is one of 17 scholarships and childcare vouchers funded by the Associated Students with revenues generated by a book of student-oriented ads and coupons sold at the beginning of the year.