Vision Statement

The vision of the office of financial aid is to deliver effective, efficient and courteous service to students and their families. In collaboration with federal and state agencies and institutional departments, the Office of Financial Aid diligently tends this relationship to maintain accountability and compliance with applicable laws, regulations and policies, in order to reasonably assure the most equitable and ethical awarding of financial assistance.

Mission Statement

The office of financial aid of Notre Dame of Maryland University has the mission of providing prospective and returning students with professional, prompt, and efficient service. This mission consists of counseling and guiding students through the financial aid process while adhering to all federal, state, and institutional guidelines to ensure that students receive financial assistance.

Goals

  1. Provide courteous and efficient service to students, families, faculty and staff through the use of quality outreach and customer service excellence.
  2. Administer all student financial assistance awarded to ensure equity and consistency in the delivery of funds to students while complying with Federal, State and Institutional regulations and guidelines.
  3. To increase student utilization of technology and alternative delivery options by improving financial aid processes/services and to effectively educate on the use of multiple communication tools.

Code of Conduct

The Higher Education Opportunity Act was signed into law on August 14, 2008. To maintain compliance with this act, the University has implemented the following Code of Conduct. This Code of Conduct applies to all personnel (employees, officers, and agents) of the University who have responsibilities related to education loans.

  1. The University and its personnel shall not enter into any revenue-sharing arrangement with any lender, guarantor or servicer. No fee or other material benefit may be accepted in exchange for recommending a lender to its students.
  2. University personnel may not solicit or accept any gift of more than nominal value from any lending institution. It does not include such items as food, refreshments, training, or informational material furnished as part of professional development activities, or philanthropic contributions to the University that are unrelated to education loans.
  3. University personnel shall not accept from any lender or affiliate any fee, payment, or other financial benefit as compensation for any type of consulting arrangement or other contract to provide services relating to education loans.
  4. The University and its personnel shall not assign, through award packaging or other means, a borrower’s loan to a particular lender, (except when required by law as in the case of Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized and PLUS loans) nor refuse to certify or delay certification of any loan based on the borrower’s selection of a particular lender or guaranty agency.
  5. The University and its personnel shall not request or accept from any lender any offer of funds to be used for private education loans in exchange for the University providing the lender with a specified loan volume or a preferred lender arrangement.
  6. The University and its personnel shall not request or accept from any lender any assistance with call center staffing or financial aid staffing. This does not prohibit the University from requesting or accepting professional development training for financial aid employees.
  7. University personnel may serve on an advisory board, commission, or group established by lenders or guarantors. However, such personnel are prohibited from receiving anything of value from the lenders or guarantors for such service, other than reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred in providing such service.
  8. The University does not maintain a preferred lender list for alternative/private loans. Students have the right and ability to select the lender of their choice.