Muhlenberg College Office of Financial Aid Statement of Ethical Principles
Staff in the Office of Financial Aid are available year round to assist families with the application process and to answer questions related to their financial aid. Our primary goal is to help students achieve their educational potential by providing appropriate financial resources. To this end, the Office of Financial Aid at Muhlenberg College has adopted the National Association of Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) statement of ethical principles. This statement provides that financial aid professionals 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 the 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;
- Ensure 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 therof;
- Maintain the highest level of professionalism, reflecting a commitment to the goals of NASFAA.
The Office of Financial Aid staff is committed to the highest standards of professional conduct. The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) requires educational institutions to develop and comply with a Code of Conduct for dealings with any entities involved in any aspect of the financial aid process. Muhlenberg College financial aid staff fully adhere to NASFAA's Statement of Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct for Institutional Financial Aid Professionals.
