Spring 2009
Committee:
President
Whereas, A provision of the Higher Education Act mandates the students convicted of any drug-related offenses be denied eligibility for financial aid for periods ranging from one year to “indefinite” while students convicted of other offenses (rape or other violent offenses) do not face those restrictions on eligibility;
Whereas, This provision impacts students of low to moderate economic means and keeps minorities out of school at a much higher rate than the general population due to racial profiling and discriminatory enforcement of drug laws, and since 1998, has affected more than 160,500 would-be students;
Whereas, The affected students have already served sentences as deemed appropriate by the criminal justice system and effectively punishing them twice for some infraction while at the same time placing roadblocks on the path to education that does nothing to solve our nation’s drug problems; and
Whereas, Many prominent organizations have called for the full repeal of the provisions, including the National Education Association, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the United States Student Association;
Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges join more than 120 other student governments around the nation in calling on the United States 111th Congress to repeal the provision of the Higher Education Act that denies or delays access to financial aid based upon convictions for drug-related offenses; and
Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges submit this resolution to the U.S. Senate and U.S. House delegations representing California.
Whereas, This provision impacts students of low to moderate economic means and keeps minorities out of school at a much higher rate than the general population due to racial profiling and discriminatory enforcement of drug laws, and since 1998, has affected more than 160,500 would-be students;
Whereas, The affected students have already served sentences as deemed appropriate by the criminal justice system and effectively punishing them twice for some infraction while at the same time placing roadblocks on the path to education that does nothing to solve our nation’s drug problems; and
Whereas, Many prominent organizations have called for the full repeal of the provisions, including the National Education Association, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the United States Student Association;
Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges join more than 120 other student governments around the nation in calling on the United States 111th Congress to repeal the provision of the Higher Education Act that denies or delays access to financial aid based upon convictions for drug-related offenses; and
Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges submit this resolution to the U.S. Senate and U.S. House delegations representing California.
Status
Completed - Ongoing. The SSCCC supported the removal of this provision in the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, however efforts were not successful and the provision still remains. The US Department of Education and President Obama supported the removal of this question from the FAFSA and the SSCCC continues to support these efforts.