Code of Conduct
The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships strives to adhere to a strict code of conduct, that reflects our commitment to our mission of expanding access to an excellent education, while serving our community in the most ethical and transparent manner.
If you have any questions or concerns about this information, please contact us.
No action will be taken by the staff of the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships that is for their personal benefit or that could be perceived to be a conflict of interest.
- Employees will not directly award any type of financial aid to themselves or their immediate family members. Staff will reserve this task to an institutionally designated person, or an automated process, to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.
- Any information about private educational loan lenders and loan terms will be transparent, complete, and accurate. Borrowers will not be automatically assigned to any particular lender.
- A borrower's choice of a lender for an educational private loan will not be denied, impeded, or unnecessarily delayed by the institution.
- No amount of cash, gift, or substantial benefit will be accepted by any member of the staff of the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships from any financial aid applicant (or their family), or from any entity doing business with, or seeking to do business with, the institution (including service on advisory committees or boards, beyond reimbursement for reasonable expenses directly associated with such service).
The staff of the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will disclose to their institution any involvement, interest in, or potential conflict of interest with any entity with which the institution has a business relationship.
Information provided by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships must be accurate, unbiased, and not reflecting preference arising from actual or potential personal gain.
Institutional financial aid offers or equivalent institutionally provided materials shall include the following:
- Breakdown of estimated individual cost of attendance components, including which are direct costs (billed by the institution) vs. indirect costs (not billed by the institution).
- Clear identification and proper grouping of each type of financial aid offered indicating whether the aid is a grant, scholarship, loan, or student employment.
- Estimated net price/cost to attend the Institution.
- Standard financial aid terminology and definitions.
- Renewal requirements for each type of financial aid being offered, as well as next steps, and contact information for the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.
All required consumer information is displayed in a prominent location on the institution’s website, clearly identified and easily found, and labeled as "Consumer Information."
