Code of Conduct

Statement of Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct for the Northeast State Financial Aid Office

The employees of the Financial Aid Office at Northeast State Community College adhere to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) tenets of Ethical Principles (Adopted by NASFAA Board of Directors, April 1999) and Code of Conduct (Adopted by NASFAA Board of Directors, May 2007).

The primary goal of the institutional financial aid professional is to help students achieve their educational potential by providing appropriate financial resources. We shall:

• Be committed to removing financial barriers for those who wish to pursue postsecondary learning.
• Make every effort to assist students with financial need.
• Be aware of the issues affecting students and advocate their interest at the institutional, state and federal levels.
• Support efforts to encourage students, as early as elementary grades, to aspire to and plan for education beyond high school.
• Educate students and families through quality consumer information.
• Respect the dignity and protect the privacy of students, and ensure the confidentiality of student records and personal circumstances.
• Assure equity by applying all need analysis formulas consistently across the institution's full population of student financial aid applicants.
• Provide services that do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age or economic status.
• Recognize the need for professional development and continuing education opportunities.
• Promote the free expression of ideas and opinions, and foster respect for diverse viewpoints within the profession.
• Commit to the highest level of ethical behavior and refrain from conflict of interest or the perception thereof.
• Maintain the highest level of professionalism, reflecting a commitment to the goals of NASFAA.

In addition, the following Code of Conduct for Financial Aid Professionals will be expected:

• Refrain from taking any action for his or her personal benefit.
• Refrain from taking any action he or she believes is contrary to law, regulation, or the best interest of the students and parents he or she serves.
• Ensure that the information he or she provides is accurate, unbiased, and does not reflect any preference arising from actual or potential personal gain.
• Be objective in making decisions and advising his or her institution regarding relationships with any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.
• Refrain from soliciting or accepting anything of more than nominal value from any entity (other than an institution of higher education or a governmental entity such as the U.S. Department of Education) involved in the making, holding, consolidating, or processing of any student loans, including anything of value (including reimbursement of expenses) for serving on the advisory body or as part of a training activity of or sponsored by any such entity.
• Disclose to his or her institution, in such manner as his or her institution may prescribe, any involvement with or interest in any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.