Fall 2010
Committee:
Governmental Relations
Whereas, A provision of the Higher Education Act (HEA) mandates that students convicted of any drug related offense, without regard to the nature of the offense or the offender, be denied eligibility for financial aid for a period ranging from one year to “indefinitely” ;
Whereas, since 1998 this provision has affected more than 200,000 would be students, while no other class of offender (including those convicted of rape or other violent offenses) faces similar restrictions on student aid eligibility and all students affected by this provision have already served sentences levied federal financial aid;
Whereas, This provision only affects students who are doing well in school since there are already minimum GPA requirements for receiving
financial aid; and
Whereas, This provision impacts only students of low to moderate economic means and keeps minorities out of school at a much higher rate
than the general population because of racial profiling and the discriminatory enforcement of drug laws;
Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges join 120 other Student Governments around the nation in calling upon the
United States Congress to fully revise the provision of the Higher Education Act that denies or delays access to Financial Aid based on convictions or drug related offenses.
Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges support the United States Congress in adding an accountability clause in
the revision of the Higher Education Act that allows previously convicted offenders to gain access to financial aid by either the completion of a
substance abuse program or by clearing the record of the individual through the state or county court system with a written letter from a judge.
Whereas, since 1998 this provision has affected more than 200,000 would be students, while no other class of offender (including those convicted of rape or other violent offenses) faces similar restrictions on student aid eligibility and all students affected by this provision have already served sentences levied federal financial aid;
Whereas, This provision only affects students who are doing well in school since there are already minimum GPA requirements for receiving
financial aid; and
Whereas, This provision impacts only students of low to moderate economic means and keeps minorities out of school at a much higher rate
than the general population because of racial profiling and the discriminatory enforcement of drug laws;
Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges join 120 other Student Governments around the nation in calling upon the
United States Congress to fully revise the provision of the Higher Education Act that denies or delays access to Financial Aid based on convictions or drug related offenses.
Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges support the United States Congress in adding an accountability clause in
the revision of the Higher Education Act that allows previously convicted offenders to gain access to financial aid by either the completion of a
substance abuse program or by clearing the record of the individual through the state or county court system with a written letter from a judge.