Quality Assurance Program
The Quality Assurance Program (QAP) was designed by the U.S. Department of Education to improve equity and fairness in awarding public and private dollars to needy students. It is used to analyze where problems may occur in the financial aid process. From the results of this analysis, a plan is developed by each school to improve their financial aid delivery system.
Participation
We use a computer program to randomly select a small group of students out of all federal need-based financial aid recipients at Binghamton University.
Binghamton University's sample was calculated by a Programmer/Analyst from the Computer Center and certified by the University's Internal Auditor, independent of staff from the Financial Aid Services Office.
It is possible that you were selected again this year even though you were a QAP participant in prior years. Please understand that the entire sample is chosen scientifically, without human intervention, as defined by the United States Department of Education. This sampling approach includes seven steps:
- Determine the overall population size (this includes all students receiving need-based federal aid at Binghamton University for the current academic year.
- Determine the sample size required.
- Determine the probability of selection.
- Specify a random seed.
- Identify all eligible students in the data base.
- Assign random numbers to each eligible student.
- Select the sample.
If selected, participation in the Quality Assurance Program is required. When you signed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) you agreed to provide proof of the information you reported on the FAFSA upon request. The verification of this information is required by federal financial aid regulations, and therefore your compliance is mandatory.
Required Information
You will be asked to submit documentation to verify what was reported on your FAFSA. Information requested will include a signed copy of your (and your parents') federal tax return, and a completed Verification Worksheet, which will be provided to you. This information must be returned by the deadline date specified in the request.
Penalty
If you do not provide the required documentation, your financial aid awards will be canceled. The Office of Student Accounts will then contact you if there is an outstanding balance due on your account. You may also be ineligible for future federal and state aid.
Questions
If you have questions about the QAP, please contact the Financial Aid Services Office at (607) 777-2428 and identify yourself as a "QAP Participant". Your questions will be referred to the QAP Coordinator or one of her team members. If no one is available to answer your question at the time of your call, you may leave your name, social security number, and a phone number where we can reach you sometime within the next 48 hours.
