Code of Conduct
Blinn College’s Office of Financial Aid officers, employees, and agents shall comply with the National Association of Student Financial Aid Association’s (NASFAA) Code of Conduct for Institutional Financial Aid Professionals, as well as the code of conduct implemented by the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA). The Office of Financial Aid expects its employees to maintain exceptional standards of professional conduct in all aspects of student financial aid. In order to maintain these standards, staff should:
- Refrain from taking any action for his or her personal benefit or that could be perceive to be a conflict of interest.
- Refrain from taking action he or she believes is contrary to law, regulation, or the best interests of students and parents he or she serves.
- Provide information that is accurate, unbiased, and does not reflect preference arising from actual or potential personal gain.
- Refrain from soliciting or accepting anything of other 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 an advisory body or as part of a training activity of or sponsored by any such entity.
- Be objective in making decisions and advising his or her institution regarding relationships with any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.
- 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.
- Refrain from developing revenue-sharing arrangements with any lender.
- Refrain from accepting any gifts, fees, payments, or other financial benefits as compensation for any type of consulting arrangement or contract to provide services to or on behalf of a lender, a guarantor, or a loan servicer.
- Refrain from directing borrowers to particular lenders, or refusing or delaying loan certifications.
- Refrain from accepting call center or financial aid office staffing assistance from a lender, a guarantor, or a loan servicer.
- Refrain from accepting compensation for service on an advisory board, commission, or group established by lenders or guarantors, unless for reimbursement for reasonable expenses.
