Yale defies uncle sams's drug law: school promises financial aid to those denied by federal policy - Update

University Business, May, 2002

Yale University is now the fourth IHE to fly in the face of federal policy and help students who lose financial aid because of past drug offenses. Yale is responding to the Drug-free Student Aid Law, which was championed by U.S. Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN), and passed in 1998. As we reported last month, even Souder is rethinking the law, claiming that the Bush administration has gone too far with it, and is denying aid to students who have turned their lives around. Yale will give scholarship money to those convicted of drug possession in the past. How much the university will give was not stated at press time.

Yale's action reflects similar policies set by Hampshire College (MA), Swarthmore College (PA), and Western Washington University (WA).--JMA