In a move that could affect thousands of college applicants, the U.S. Department of Education moved last week to close a loophole that had allowed college applicants to leave blank a question about prior drug convictions.

Applicants must now respond to the question or forfeit federal aid.

Over 50 student governments and national groups-mostly civil liberties and minority organizations-have opposed the move as well as the government's continued practice of basing aid eligibility on drug offenses, but the Harvard student community seems largely placid over the issue.

"Personally, I was not aware of this," said Undergraduate Council Vice-President Sujean S, Lee `03. "No one has raised the issue at any of our meetings."

Harvard asks a similar question on its financial aid application, but evaluates respondents on a case-by-case basis and does not base its decisions on federal guidelines, according to Director of Financial Aid Sally C. Donahue.

A Harvard student could therefore continue to receive institutional aid even if federal aid were withdrawn.

"We have [supplemented rescinded federal aid] in certain cases where we have decided that federal guidelines are not the guidelines we should follow," Donahue said. "[But} that's mostly in income-driven situations."

No such situation has arisen in a drug-related case at Harvard, she said.