Fraud Reporting Policy

Credible Information of Fraud or Criminal Misconduct in Connection with the Verification Process

By law, the university must refer to the Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) any credible information it discovers, including as part of the verification process, that indicates an applicant for federal student aid may have engaged in fraud or other criminal misconduct in connection with his or her application for such aid. Common types of fraud or misconduct include false claims of independent student status, false claims of citizenship, use of false identities, forgery of signatures of certifications, and false statements of income.

If a university employee suspects that a student, another employee, or some other party has misreported information or altered documentation to fraudulently obtain federal student aid, the employee with such suspicion is required to bring that information to the attention of the university’s Director of Financial Aid. The Director of Financial Aid will work with university legal counsel to review the documentation and determine if a referral to the OIG is required. Any decision to refer information to the OIG will be coordinated by university legal counsel in accordance with the guidance provided in the Federal Student Aid Handbook. The relevant student file will be held in the office of the Director of Financial Aid to ensure that all information is secure once a report is made to the OIG.