Serving UNC-Wilmington Since 1 948 Volume Lil, Number B Inside This Issue.. Have a safe Fall break! Look for the Seahawk next Thursday, October 12 WWW.THESEAHAWK.ORG October 3, ZQOO New anti-drug law denies financial aid to students with drug convictions The Sound and the Fury Wilmington ordinance threatens to quiet downtown area/14 Undaunted Volleyball team still charging ahead despite losses /14 Sqmer Stahl Staff Writer A new anti-drug law denying federal aid to students who have been convicted of an illegal drug offense came into affect at the beginning of fall semester 2000. The Higher Education Act Drug Provision was passed in 1998 and includes an amendment to the original Higher Education Act (HEA) passed by Congress in 1965. Originally, the HEA was established to provide students with federal financial aid programs such as PLUS loans, Perkins loans, PeU Grants and Work-Study Programs. The 1998 provision, introduced by Republican Representative of Indiana Mark Souder, de nies this aid to students convicted of any state or federal dmg offense. According to the Higher Education Act Coahtion, aU of this legislation revolves around question on the Federal Appli cation for Financial Student Aid (FAFSA), asking whether or not a student has been convicted of a drug offense. This year, more than 750,000 applicants have left this ques tion blank, but are still receiving aid. Under the HEA provision, filling in this question will now be mandatory. “Congress got upset that students were Illustration by James Flint and Thomas M. flu/te/The Seahawk New anti-drug laws will prevent prospective college students from receiving financial aid if they have any kind of drug conviction, re- gardless of the severity. voluntarily asked to disclose this type of in formation,” said Mark Williams, director of financial aid and veterans’ services. “They (Congress) wanted it to be ironclad.” Williams said that there was a provision in the law since 1992 as well. The law used to refer only to students charged with a fed eral felony. The twist in 1998 refers to stu dents convicted of any drug offense, on any level. StiU, Williams confirmed that this pro vision does not affect state or institutional aid. Also, according to the Higher Education Act Coalition, H Jl. 4504 was passed on May 25. This bill contains some changes to the HEA, requiring the Department of Educa tion to treat students who do not answer ques tion #28 on the FAFSA form as ineligible until they do so. Representative Bobby Scott, a Democrat fhim Virginia, introduced the Scott Amend ment to strike the provision, but the attempt failed. Anew bill, H.R. 1053, will be reintro duced to Congress in January and will ask that the HEA drug provision be repealed en tirely. Suzarme Shover, coordinator of Cross roads on campus, thinks that there is a lot of controversy with this law and to her under- SEE ANTI-DRUE, PAGE 5 Wizards receive cheers, jeers from campus BEN JDNE5 INDEX Campus News...... OP/ED Classifieds.......n»>»»» A & E The Scene Sports Sports Editor The Washington Wizards arrive at UNC Wilmington today for the team’s preseason training camp. The NBA team will set up camp at UNCW, using the Student Recre ation Center (SRC) for administrative offices and practice location. During the 10 day camp, the Wizards will be conducting try-outs for prospective play ers, as well as re-acclimate the team’s cur rent roster for the upcoming season. As all NBA teams do, the pteseason camp is a time for the coaches to see which players poten tially will start or at least be an essential mem ber to the squad. Although practice will be off-limits to students, faculty, and staff of UNCW, the Wizards will play an exhibition game at Trask Coliseum Tuesday, October 10. The game will be fi«e of charge to all UNCW students, faculty, and staff, exclusive only to those members who acquire a ticket. Tick ets areavailable yesterday through tonx>rrow fiom 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the infor mation desk in the University Union or the WIZARDS Office of Housing & Residence life Activ ity Center. Two teams will be made from a division of Wizard players. While the game will have no variance on the team’s future, it will give the Seahawk family a chance to partake in the prodigious campus event. In addition, watching top quality basketball players live in action is unique in its self. UNCW shares the honor of hosting a NBA team with a couple of other area uni versities. UNC Chapel Hill will embrace the Philadelphia 76ers later this month; while CoUege of Charleston is home to the New York Knicks’ training camp. UNC Wilmington’s decision to accom modate the Wizards has met with animosity fit)m several students though. The majority of the unhappy students are upset at the mon etary fee the campus is charging: nothing. Walt Massey, a sophomore Communica tion Studies major indicated that not charg ing the Wizartls seemed out of touch. “I’m not honored to have Michael Jordan on cam pus. He didn’t attend school here, therefore we should profit fiom (the Wizards’ presence on campus).” Sophomore Jonathan Scholten had simi- larthoughtstothetrainingcamp. “Mostother organizations that want to use our facilities, such as the SRC, have to pay a fee... so why should the Wizards be treated different,” Scholten questioned. “A lot of sUidents have been waiting years for the new SRC facility. Now we have only had it since April, and we almost have to shut it down. I think it’s pretty ridiculous,” The Wizards use of the Student Recre ation Center, commonly referred to as SRC, See Wizards, Page 6

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