20 U.S.C. § 1094 - Program participation agreements

• Cite as: 20 U.S.C. § 1094

(a) Required for programs of assistance; contents

In order to be an eligible institution for the purposes of any program authorized under this subchapter, an institution must be an institution of higher education or an eligible institution (as that term is defined for the purpose of that program) and shall, except with respect to a program under subpart 4 of part A, enter into a program participation agreement with the Secretary. The agreement shall condition the initial and continuing eligibility of an institution to participate in a program upon compliance with the following requirements:

(1) The institution will use funds received by it for any program under this subchapter and any interest or other earnings thereon solely for the purpose specified in and in accordance with the provision of that program.

(2) The institution shall not charge any student a fee for processing or handling any application, form, or data required to determine the student's eligibility for assistance under this subchapter or the amount of such assistance.

(3) The institution will establish and maintain such administrative and fiscal procedures and records as may be necessary to ensure proper and efficient administration of funds received from the Secretary or from students under this subchapter, together with assurances that the institution will provide, upon request and in a timely fashion, information relating to the administrative capability and financial responsibility of the institution to-

(A) the Secretary;

(B) the appropriate guaranty agency; and

(C) the appropriate accrediting agency or association.

(4) The institution will comply with the provisions of subsection (c) of this section and the regulations prescribed under that subsection, relating to fiscal eligibility.

(5) The institution will submit reports to the Secretary and, in the case of an institution participating in a program under part B or part E, to holders of loans made to the institution's students under such parts at such times and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require to carry out the purpose of this subchapter.

(6) The institution will not provide any student with any statement or certification to any lender under part B that qualifies the student for a loan or loans in excess of the amount that student is eligible to borrow in accordance with sections 1075(a), 1078(a)(2), and 1078(b)(1)(A) and (B) of this title.

(7) The institution will comply with the requirements of section 1092 of this title.

(8) In the case of an institution that advertises job placement rates as a means of attracting students to enroll in the institution, the institution will make available to prospective students, at or before the time of application (A) the most recent available data concerning employment statistics, graduation statistics, and any other information necessary to substantiate the truthfulness of the advertisements, and (B) relevant State licensing requirements of the State in which such institution is located for any job for which the course of instruction is designed to prepare such prospective students.

(9) In the case of an institution participating in a program under part B or D, the institution will inform all eligible borrowers enrolled in the institution about the availability and eligibility of such borrowers for State grant assistance from the State in which the institution is located, and will inform such borrowers from another State of the source for further information concerning such assistance from that State.

(10) The institution certifies that it has in operation a drug abuse prevention program that is determined by the institution to be accessible to any officer, employee, or student at the institution.

(11) In the case of any institution whose students receive financial assistance pursuant to section 1091(d) of this title, the institution will make available to such students a program proven successful in assisting students in obtaining a certificate of high school equivalency.

(12) The institution certifies that-

(A) the institution has established a campus security policy; and

(B) the institution has complied with the disclosure requirements of section 1092(f) of this title.

(13) The institution will not deny any form of Federal financial aid to any student who meets the eligibility requirements of this subchapter on the grounds that the student is participating in a program of study abroad approved for credit by the institution.

(14)

(A) The institution, in order to participate as an eligible institution under part B or D, will develop a Default Management Plan for approval by the Secretary as part of its initial application for certification as an eligible institution and will implement such Plan for two years thereafter.

(B) Any institution of higher education which changes ownership and any eligible institution which changes its status as a parent or subordinate institution shall, in order to participate as an eligible institution under part B or D, develop a Default Management Plan for approval by the Secretary and implement such Plan for two years after its change of ownership or status.

(C) This paragraph shall not apply in the case of an institution in which (i) neither the parent nor the subordinate institution has a cohort default rate in excess of 10 percent, and (ii) the new owner of such parent or subordinate institution does not, and has not, owned any other institution with a cohort default rate in excess of 10 percent.

(15) The institution acknowledges the authority of the Secretary, guaranty agencies, lenders, accrediting agencies, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the State agencies under subpart 1 of part H to share with each other any information pertaining to the institution's eligibility to participate in programs under this subchapter or any information on fraud and abuse.

(16)

(A) The institution will not knowingly employ an individual in a capacity that involves the administration of programs under this subchapter, or the receipt of program funds under this subchapter, who has been convicted of, or has pled nolo contendere or guilty to, a crime involving the acquisition, use, or expenditure of funds under this subchapter, or has been judicially determined to have committed fraud involving funds under this subchapter or contract with an institution or third party servicer that has been terminated under section 1082 of this title involving the acquisition, use, or expenditure of funds under this subchapter, or who has been judicially determined to have committed fraud involving funds under this subchapter.

(B) The institution will not knowingly contract with or employ any individual, agency, or organization that has been, or whose officers or employees have been-

(i) convicted of, or pled nolo contendere or guilty to, a crime involving the acquisition, use, or expenditure of funds under this subchapter; or

(ii) judicially determined to have committed fraud involving funds under this subchapter.

(17) The institution will complete surveys conducted as a part of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) or any other Federal postsecondary institution data collection effort, as designated by the Secretary, in a timely manner and to the satisfaction of the Secretary.

(18) The institution will meet the requirements established pursuant to section 1092(g) of this title.

(19) The institution will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that the student borrow additional funds, on any student because of the student's inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution as a result of the delayed disbursement of the proceeds of a loan made under this subchapter due to compliance with the provisions of this subchapter, or delays attributable to the institution.

(20) The institution will not provide any commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based directly or indirectly on success in securing enrollments or financial aid to any persons or entities engaged in any student recruiting or admission activities or in making decisions regarding the award of student financial assistance, except that this paragraph shall not apply to the recruitment of foreign students residing in foreign countries who are not eligible to receive Federal student assistance.

(21) The institution will meet the requirements established by the Secretary and accrediting agencies or associations, and will provide evidence to the Secretary that the institution has the authority to operate within a State.

(22) The institution will comply with the refund policy established pursuant to section 1091b of this title.

(23)

(A) The institution, if located in a State to which section 20503(b) of title 52 does not apply, will make a good faith effort to distribute a mail voter registration form, requested and received from the State, to each student enrolled in a degree or certificate program and physically in attendance at the institution, and to make such forms widely available to students at the institution.

(B) The institution shall request the forms from the State 120 days prior to the deadline for registering to vote within the State. If an institution has not received a sufficient quantity of forms to fulfill this section from the State within 60 days prior to the deadline for registering to vote in the State, the institution shall not be held liable for not meeting the requirements of this section during that election year.

(C) This paragraph shall apply to general and special elections for Federal office, as defined in section 30101(3) of title 52, and to the elections for Governor or other chief executive within such State).¹

(D) The institution shall be considered in compliance with the requirements of subparagraph (A) for each student to whom the institution electronically transmits a message containing a voter registration form acceptable for use in the State in which the institution is located, or an Internet address where such a form can be downloaded, if such information is in an electronic message devoted exclusively to voter registration.