Congress recently passed public law 105-244 that will require students receiving federal financial aid to pay money back for classes they drop before completing 60 percent of the quarter. This law will take effect in fall of 2000.

This law was passed in response to incidents where students receive funds from the federal government and subsequently drop out of school. By passing this law, Congress hopes to make students accountable for what they originally proposed when they applied for financial aid.

With this law, the “government is keeping track on how the funds are being distributed,” said Susan Bloom, assistant director of financial aid. Thus, Congress is hoping to take money back from the students who drop out of school, and put it into the hands of those who were eligible but did not receive financial aid due to the demand.

Beginning in fall, De Anza students receiving financial aid that drop classes will be given a call from the Financial Aid Department to determine whether the student is returning. If the student is not coming back, the Financial Aid Department to determine whether the student is returning. If the student is not coming back, the Financial Aid Department then assesses a calculation to figure out how much the student owes. Some factors in determining that figure will be:

1. the number of days the student completed,

2. how many days are in the quarter,

3. the percentage of days the student was in attendance.

In the event a student cannot pay back the money issued, the Financial Aid Department here will offer various options for students to pay back. If you have more questions you can find more information online at www.finaid.org, at De Anza’s web site at http://www.deanza.fhda.edu, or you can go to the Financial Aid Department, located downstairs in the Hinson Campus Center.