Code of Conduct

The purpose of the MedTech College Financial Services Code of Conduct is to promote the highest standards of practice, define acceptable and unacceptable behaviors, provide a benchmark for the financial aid/accounting professionals at MedTech College to use for self-evaluation and establish a framework for professional behavior and responsibilities.

The MedTech College (MTC) Financial aid/accounting professionals commit to the highest level of ethical behavior and refrain from conflict of interest or the perception thereof by:

1. Refraining from taking any action on behalf of his or her personal benefit
   • The Financial aid/accounting professional does not engage in any activity, which relates to actions that are contrary to the obligations the individual has to MedTech College, its students and their parents.
   • This precludes the financial aid/accounting professionals, or a member of their family from accepting cash payments, stocks, club memberships, gifts, entertainment, expense-paid trips, or other forms of inappropriate remuneration from any business entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.
   • This also relates to actions (which while on balance may be supportive of the financial aid/accounting professional’s work) chosen from among alternatives because they also benefit the financial aid/accounting professionals.
2. Refraining from taking any action contrary to law, regulation, or in the best interest of the students and parents he or she serves.
   • The Financial aid/accounting professionals should understand and adhere to all institutional policies as well as other local, state or federal requirements that are applicable to his or her conduct or job performance.
3. Ensuring that the information he or she provides is accurate, unbiased, and does not reflect any preference arising from actual or potential personal gain.
   • Students and parents should fully understand their rights & obligations and – of paramount importance – their alternatives after meeting with a MTC financial aid/accounting professional.
   • A financial aid/accounting professional is expected to demonstrate transparency, completeness, and accuracy of information by ensuring that:
     • Students and their parents understand they are not required to use any of the lenders on the “preferred lender” list, are free to select the lender of their choice, and understand the process for selecting a lender and applying for a loan.
     • The school will promptly certify any loan from any lender selected by a borrower.
     • The process through which “preferred lenders” are selected is fully disclosed.
     • Borrowers are provided with consumer information about the loan products offered by lenders on the preferred lender list. Such information includes the disclosure of competitive interest rates, terms, and conditions of federal loans; high quality loan servicing; or additional benefits beyond the standard terms and conditions for such loans.
4. Being objective in decision-making and immediately advising MedTech College of any relationship with an outside entity involved with student financial aid.
   • Financial aid/accounting professionals must always be fair-handed when recommending or entering into a business relationship with any entity offering a product or service related to financial aid.
   • Placement on a preferred lender list is not based upon the benefits provided to MedTech, an employee, or its students as opposed to lenders which do not appear on the preferred lender list. In the same light, financial aid/accounting professionals do not arrange for alternative loan programs that disadvantage students or parents who do not receive such loans nor does the financial aid/accounting professionals refer to or imply that any agent or lender is an employee of MedTech College.
5. Refraining from soliciting or accepting anything of a total retail value of more than ten dollars from any entity involved in the making, holding, consolidating or processing of any student loans, including anything of value, and reimbursement of expenses for serving on an advisory board or as part of a training activity sponsored by any such entity.
   • This element is intended to avoid the appearance of conflict of interest that arises when a financial aid/accounting professionals accepts benefits from a lending institution or similar entity.
   • The fact that the financial aid/accounting professional may have no intention to provide an advantage to the lender because of the benefit he or she receives, and indeed does not provide any such advantage, is not the point.
   • The benefit received by the financial aid/accounting professional creates an appearance that he or she is biased, and may not act solely in the best interests of the students and parents he or she serves.
     The term “nominal value” leaves some room for interpretation.
   • As a general guide, and subject to more restrictive perimeters and policies, a total retail value of not more than $10 is considered reasonable. This same principle applies to reimbursement for lender-sponsored training activities.
   • Professional development is a key component of being an effective financial aid/accounting professional, and attending lender-sponsored training programs can be a valuable way of obtaining the most current information.
   • Receiving any remuneration for attendance from a source other than from MedTech College, even in the form of reimbursement for expenses, creates the same appearance of conflict of interest, and is avoided.
6. Disclosing any involvement with or interest in any entity involved in any aspect of financial aid.
   • The same principle of transparency, or avoiding the appearance of conflict of interest, drives this tenet.
   • MedTech College has a written policy on disclosure of potential conflicts of interest, and a process of determining whether an employee’s involvement creates an actual conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict in the Employee Handbook.
   • It is the obligation of the financial aid/accounting professionals to abide by the requirements of MedTech College’s conflict of interest policy.
7. In addition, the following items are specifically prohibited.
   • Revenue sharing agreements.
   • Opportunity pool loans.
   • Staffing assistance from lenders.
   • Contracting arrangements with lenders and guarantors.