Consumer Information

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Student’s Right to Request FAFSA Review for Special or Unusual Circumstances.

ALL students have the right to request the Financial Aid Office to consider adjustments to their FAFSA for special or unusual circumstances. Special or Unusual circumstances can be due to the loss of income, unusual medical expenses, being an unaccompanied or homeless youth, parent refusal to provide information for a dependent student, etc. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list. The request is to be made by contacting the Financial Aid Office at 217.585.1215 ext. 202.

Federal Return of Title IV Funds under the Higher Education Act Amendment of 1998

Students who receive federal financial aid, (grants and loans), are considered to “earn” 100% of their financial aid by attending 60% of the payment period. A student who withdraws before completion of 60% of the payment period has earned the equivalent percentage of Title IV aid that has been or can be disbursed.

Refunds for all the other types of assistance (i.e. state, private resources, scholarships) will follow the college’s refund policy.

Capital Area Career Center (CACC), in recognition of the need to preserve the integrity of the student loan program, and in compliance with the Student Loan Code of Conduct requirements outlined in the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA), adopts the following Code of Conduct.  This Code of Conduct is based upon Section 493 of HEOA.  The requirements outlined in Section 493 of the HEOA shall take precedence over any section of this Code of Conduct that conflicts with Section 493 of HEOA except that the more restrictive part of either this Code of Conduct or Section 493 of HEOA shall take precedence over the less restrictive part.

This Code of Conduct shall be published prominently on CACC’s website.

CACC shall administer and enforce this Code of Conduct.  A violation of this Code of Conduct by any employee, officer, or agent in the financial aid office or with responsibilities concerning education loans shall be grounds for discipline, including discharge.  All new employees with responsibilities concerning education loans shall be supplied with a copy of the Code of Conduct within 30 days of being hired.  All employees, officers, and agents with responsibilities concerning education loans shall be annually informed of the content and provisions of this Code of Conduct.

CACC will not solicit, accept, or agree to accept anything of value from any Lending Institution, Guarantee Agency, or Servicer in exchange for any advantage or consideration provided by the Lending Institution related to its student loan activity.  This prohibition includes but is not limited to:

• Revenue Sharing Agreements
• Any goods (such as computer hardware) for which CACC pays below market price
• Any computer software used to manage loans unless the software can manage disbursements from all lenders
• Any printing costs, postage or services

This does not prevent CACC from soliciting, accepting, or agreeing to favorable terms and conditions where the benefit is made directly to student borrowers.

CACC will require and enforce that no officer, trustee, director, employee or agent of the school will accept anything more than a nominal value on his or her behalf or behalf of another during any 12 month period from or on behalf of any Lending Institution, Guarantee Agency, or Servicer.  This prohibition will include, but not be limited to a ban on any payment or reimbursement from any Lending Institution, Guarantee Agency, or Servicer to CACC employees for lodging, meals, or travel to conferences or training seminars.

This does not preclude any officer, trustee, director, employee, or agent of CACC from receiving compensation for conducting non-school business with a Lending Institution, Guarantee Agency, or Servicer or from accepting compensation that is offered to the general public.  This prohibition does not prevent CACC officers, trustees, directors, employees or agents from holding membership in any non-profit professional associations.

No CACC employee involved in the affairs of the school’s financial aid office shall solicit or accept any gift from a lender, guarantor, or servicer of education loans.

Gifts are defined as but not limited to:

• Any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, or other item is having more than token monetary value. The term includes a gift of services, transportation, lodging, or meals, whether provided in kind, by the purchase of a ticket, payment in advance, or reimbursement after the expense has been incurred.

The following would not be considered “gifts”:

• Standard material, activities, or programs on issues related to a loan, default aversion, default prevention, or financial literacy, such as a brochure, a workshop, or training.
• Food, refreshments, training, or informational material furnished to any officer, trustee, director, or school employee, as an integral part of a training session that is designed to improve the service of a lender, guarantor, or servicer of education loans to the institution, if such training contributes to the professional development of the officer, trustee, director or employee.
• Favorable terms, conditions, and borrower benefits on an education loan provided to all students.
• Entrance and Exit counseling services provided to borrowers to meet the institution’s responsibilities for entrance and exit counseling as required by law as long as the institution’s staff are in control of the counseling and such counseling does not promote the products or services of any specific lender.
• Philanthropic contributions to CACC from a lender, servicer, or guarantor that are unrelated to education loans or that are not made in exchange for any advantage related to education loans. State education grants, scholarships, or financial aid funds administered by or on behalf of a state.

Gifts to family members of any officer, trustee, director, or employee of CACC will be considered a gift to the said officer, trustee, director, or employee of CACC if:

• The gift is given with knowledge and acquiescence of the officer, trustee, director or employee of CACC, and the office, trustee, director or employee of CACC has reason to believe the gift was given because of the official position of said officer, trustee, director, or employee of CACC.

Any employee who is employed in CACC’s financial aid office, or who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to education loans or other students financial aid, and who serves on an advisory board, commission, or group established by a lender, guarantor or group of lenders or guarantors, shall be prohibited from receiving anything of value from the lender, guarantor, or group of lenders or guarantors, except that the employee may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in serving on such advisory board, commission, or group.

This does not preclude any officer, trustee, director, or employee from participating on any lender advisory boards that are unrelated to student loans.

This does not preclude any CACC employee not involved in the affairs of CACC’s financial aid office from serving on the Board of Directors of a publicly traded or privately held company.

Any officer, trustee, director, or employee of CACC is prohibited from accepting any payments of any kind from a lender in exchange for any consulting services related to educational loans.

• This does not prevent anyone else in the institution, which has nothing to do with student loans from entering into these arrangements.
• This does not prevent anyone not employed in the financial aid office who has “some” responsibility for student loans from entering into these agreements if that individual in writing, recuses himself or herself from any decision regarding educational loans.
• This does not prevent anybody from serving on a Board of Directors or trustee of an institution if the individual, in writing, recuses himself or herself from any decision regarding educational loans.

CACC will not enter any revenue sharing agreement where:

• A lender provides or issues a loan that is made, insured, or guaranteed under this title to students attending the institution or to the families of such students; and
• The institution recommends the lender, and in exchange, the lender pays a fee or provides other material benefits.

CACC will not request or accept any agreement or offer of funds for private loans in exchange for concessions or promises of:

• A specified number of loans made, insured or guaranteed
• A specified loan volume
• A preferred lender arrangement

CACC will not request or accept from any lender any assistance with financial aid office staffing. This ban does not include:

• Professional development training for financial aid administrators
• Educational counseling materials, financial literacy materials, or debt management materials to borrowers provided that such materials disclose to borrowers the identification of any lender that assisted in preparing or providing such materials.
• Staffing services on a short-term, non-recurring basis to assist the institution with financial aid-related functions during emergencies, including State-declared or federally declared natural disasters.

CACC will not assign, through award packaging or other methods, the borrower’s loan to a specific lender.

CACC will not refuse to certify or delay certification of, any loan based on the borrower’s selection of a particular lender or guaranty agency.

All employees shall exhibit the highest ethical standards.  All employees’ first duty is loyalty to the Capital Area Career Center and its students.  No employee shall take advantage of his or her position for his or her gain or benefit.

No employee shall take any action that he or she believes is or might be contrary to law, regulation, or in the best interests of the students and parents we serve.

In every circumstance, employees shall ensure that the information given to students and parents is accurate and unbiased and does not reflect any preference arising from actual or potential personal or institutional gain.

In every instance, employees will be objective in making decisions and advising the school regarding any institution involved in any aspect of student financial assistance.

No employee shall solicit or accept anything from an entity involved in the making, holding, consolidating, or processing of any student loans, including anything of value, except for such items of minimal or token value specifically exempted by the “Student Loan Code of Conduct.”

Employees will always disclose to the Capital Area Career Center, any involvement with or interest in any entity involved in any aspect of financial aid.

The Financial Aid Office Code of Conduct applies to all employees involved with Financial Aid, including financial aid staff, supervisors, Business Office personnel who deal with loans or grants, and anyone who otherwise has responsibility or authority over the financial aid operation.  All such persons shall abide by the “Student Loan Code of Conduct” and familiarize themselves with its contents at least once per year.