MASFAA condemns the actions of any individual or institution within our industry that result in a conflict of interest or violation of the law. I do not believe, however, that such actions are common in the financial aid profession. The members of MASFAA are held to the ethical standards set forth by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), which requires that we "commit to the highest level of ethical behavior and refrain from conflict of interest or the perception thereof." Our members adhere very closely to these standards, and view any infringement of such as an affront to our profession.

We join with our colleagues from NASFAA and the Eastern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (EASFAA) in our assertion that your statements to college presidents, high school guidance counselors, and the public at large have brought dishonor to a profession that prides itself on its dedication to the needs of students. Our members work very hard to ensure that all students receive the maximum amount of federal, state, and institutional financial aid funds possible, while minimizing the amount of loan debt with which students are burdened. In addition to putting in extremely long hours at their offices, our members devote a considerable amount of their free time to providing financial aid information sessions to students and families, participating in early awareness activities at the middle-school level, and even providing free assistance to over 1000 families in the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) during our annual College Goal Sunday event.

Your recent statements have given a false impression to students and families that college financial aid administrators are self-serving individuals whose advice cannot be trusted. Such an impression does an extreme disservice not only to the financial aid profession, but also to the students and families who will attempt to navigate the maze of student loan options on their own and who, undoubtedly, will make uneducated choices that will affect their lives for years to come.

We sincerely hope that you will accept NASFAA’s invitation to visit financial aid professionals across the country and to speak with them about their practices. We join with them in our assertion that you will indeed find only "committed professionals with the highest ethical standards whose only concern is for their financial aid recipients and not padding their or their school’s pockets."

If you would like to discuss this issue further, please feel free to contact me at any time.

Sincerely,

Sherri M. Avery
MASFAA President
Brandeis University
Office of Student Financial Services
415 South St., MS 027
Waltham, MA 02454-9110
(781) 736-3706
savery@brandeis.edu

CC: Governor Deval Patrick