National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA)

The primary goal of the financial aid professional is to help students achieve their educational potential by providing appropriate financial resources. To this end, this Statement provides the Financial Aid Professional with a set of principles that serves as a common foundation for accepted standards of conduct. The staff of the Office of Student Financial Services at SUNY State College of Optometry follows these principles and the code of conduct outlined by NASFAA.

The Financial Aid Professional shall:

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

Code of Conduct for Institutional Financial Aid Professionals

An institutional financial aid professional is expected to always maintain exemplary standards of professional conduct in all aspects of carrying out his or her responsibilities, specifically including all dealings with any entities involved in any manner in student financial aid, regardless of whether such entities are involved in a government sponsored, subsidized, or regulated activity. In doing so, a financial aid professional should:
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 interests 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 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.

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.

The SUNY College of Optometry will not participate in any revenue-sharing arrangements with regards to Financial Aid.
The SUNY College of Optometry financial aid office will not participate in any Contract arrangements or staffing assistance with lenders.
The SUNY State College of Optometry has no preferred lender list and encourages students to research lending options.  All loans will be certified based on the decision of the student’s choice of lender.