The Collegian Wednesday, January 24,1990
Aid for the
unworthy
Columnist says students using
financial aid for drug money
by Christine Spanos
With the United States invasion of Panama, the drug issue is
hotter than ever spanning not only across our nation but the entire
western hemisphere. Yet while Panama and other Latin American
countries continue to be our global enemies in the war against
drugs, state institutions like Penn State are negative contributors
as well.
Every semester, institutions like Penn State offer student
loans, academic scholarships, and work study programs that
produce a weekly paycheck for thousands of eligible students. But
in the last year, state schools have been questioned as to the
standards set for eligibility. The question is: How many students
who accept state funds use and abuse drugs?
Ultimately, Penn State and other state schools are giving an
open invitation to any drug abusing student who falls into the
"eligibility" category. Where do all the students who don't use
drugs and who were denied financial aid fit into scenario?
That's the funny part, they don't. Those are the students who
get left out in the cold, struggling to get by while their drug
using counterparts are financially set for the semester.
Like any issue, there are always two sides needing
representation. There is a cluster of truly qualified students that
employs the financial aid system, but our concentration must
focus on those who fall between the cracks. Those students hinder
our war against drugs and, at the same time, make a mockery of
the system we so desperately rely on.
Should Penn State and other state schools step back and close
their eyes to this growing problem, or should they take a stand
and demand students to take a drug test before becoming
completely eligible for financial aid?
If the testing were only for illegal drugs, no one should have a
problem with taking a drug test. It would only be the drug users
themselves who claim that their constitutional rights arc being
violated.
Here is my answer to that: If a student is using drugs, they are
a negative contributor to our country's war against drugs and
therefore, by contributing in this negative manner, have already
forfeited their constitutional rights.
What some people fail to realize is that drugs are illegal and
nowhere in our constitution docs it say that drug use is
acceptable. As citizens of this country we are given certain
inalienable rights, but those do not include the right to smoke a
joint and snort a line at the costly expense of others.
So is it morally right for drug abusing students to accept
government funds? I feel that students who accept state funds in
order to further their education are to be respected and commended
on their responsible choice to do so. Yet now we stumble across a
gray area that defeats the good of the financial aid system and
enhances, in its own way, the drug users ability to succeed.
Of course it is also morally wrong for drug abusing students to
accept state funds and yet it happens every single day and will
continue to happen until local, slate, and federal governments put
their foot down and stop the disease that is spreading throughout
our country.
Editorial Policy
The Collegian's editorial opinion is determined by the editor, with
the editor holding final responsibility. Opinions expressed in The
Collegian are not necessarily those of The Collegian or the
Pennsylvania State University.
Letter Policy: The Collegian encourages letters on news coverage,
editorial content and university affairs. Letters should be
typewritten, double-spaced and signed by no more than two persons.
Letters should be no longer than 400 words. Letters should include
the semester and major of the writer. All letters should provide the
address and phone number of the writer for verification of the letter.
The Collegian reserves the right to edit letters for length and to
reject letters if they are libelous or do not conform to standards of
good taste.
Postal Information: The Collegian (898-6488) is published weekly
by the students of the Behrend College; The Reed Union Building,
Station Road, Erie, Pa 16563.
inion / Editorial
The Post-Martin Era
Everyone knows that the
Eighties are over. It's the end
of a decade and the end of an
era. Everyone's talking about
the Nineties now.
Everyone except The
Collegian staff, that is. Here in
the office, this new lime period
is known as The Post-Martin
Era, named for Jim Martin who
served as Collegian Editor for
the past two years.
Last Fall was Jim's final
semester here. Somehow Jim
finished in just three and half
years despite the unbelievable
number of hours he spent
producing The Collegian each
week. He even survived Rock
Class 101 and Bowling 58
during his last grueling
semester at Behrend.
Jim once said that The
Collegian was his college
career. It's what he did, and he
did it well. During his two year
reign, Jim made many notable
improvements in the news
paper. The most significant of
these was the change to a
Writer asks: How long will the
dream be deferred?
by Rob Farnham
Collegian Staff Writer
Last Monday, January 15th, presidential proclamation which
marked the observance of Dr. established King's holiday. A
Marlin Luther King, Jr.'s black student vocal group sang
birthday. That afternoon in Erie "The Battle Hymn of the
Hall, a good-sized, though hardly Republic” and several other
capacity, crowd, gathered for a compositions. Afterward, punch
ceremony in honor of the slain and birthday cake were served,
civil rights leader. The audience was attentive and
Behrend students, both black seemed genuinely enthusiastic,
Published weekly by the students of Behrend College, Erie, Pa
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weekly format which brought a
greater sense of timeliness to
our humble newspaper. His
professional level of
journalistic skill propelled The
Collegian to a consistent and
respectable publication.
I hear Jim's married now
and he’s getting paid to work
on a newspaper. I was surprised
to see that The Collegian office
hadn't disappeared right along
with him over the break. I'm
not so sure that I'd have been
very upset if it did.
Most of the mail is still
addressed to Jim, except that
which is addressed to Steve
Aller, Jim's predecessor. Even
the directory in the Winter
Garden still bears the name J.
Martin next to The Collegian.
Obviously, not many
people realize that Jim's not
the editor anymore. That's not
necessarily a bad thing. If
people still think Jim's the
editor after this issue, I'll take
it as quite a compliment
In fact, it might save me a
and white, read excerpts from
several of his best-known
speeches, as well as from the
The Collegian
Editor—Todd J. Irwin
Op/Ed Page Editor—Rob Prindle
News Editor-Tony Olivito
News Editor—Mark Owens
Entertainment Editor—Robb Frederick
Sports Editor—John Musser
Layout Editor—Chris Kocott
Photo Coordinator—Rick Brooks
Business Manager—Christie Redmond
Advisor—Dr. Mike Simmons
The Collegian is a student-edited newspaper
Page
great deal of grief if there are
any severe problems in this
issue. When infuriated people
come storming into the office
demanding to see Jim, I'll
calmly plead ignorance to his
whereabouts and continue
packing my bags.
Hopefully, this won't be
my first and only issue,
though. I don't have his
experience yet but, like Jim, I
do want The Collegian to
continue improving.
1 have a strong, dedicated
staff that I truly believe in, but
I also need something else. I
need some feedback and
response from you, the reader.
Let me know what you
think about the newspaper,
current issues, or our editorial
stance. Slop by the office, or
better yet write me a letter.
Oh, by the way, don't forget
the J.
-- Todd J. Irwin
responding to every speaker and
each song with a round of
applause. But as I sat in the
bleachers, I couldn't help noticing
that, though the crowd was
racially mixed, it was divided into
smaller groups primarily by
color. The whites sat together,
and mostly apart from the small
clusters of blacks.
Seeing that division, while
(continued on page 7)