Purdue University Northwest / Financial Aid / Resources / Consumer Information / Misrepresentation

Misrepresentation

PNW is committed to operating in an environment of integrity and strives to offer students and parents accurate and timely information.

Per federal regulations (Subpart F of Part 668), Purdue University Northwest will hold itself to the highest levels of integrity and will not provide any false, erroneous, or misleading statements to a student or prospective student, to the family of an enrolled or prospective student, or to the U.S. Department of Education.

Purdue University Northwest is committed to operating in an environment of integrity. Each member of the Purdue University Northwest community is responsible for assuring that the actions and activities conducted at the University promote such an environment.

Through the hiring, training, and evaluation processes employees learn the culture and official policies and are educated to represent the University with integrity.

Contact the departments listed below for specific information:

  • Contact the Office of Admissions for information on educational programs and the admissions process. Program information is also available on the Academics webpage.
  • Contact the Bursar’s Office for information on tuition and fee charges; Contact the Office of Financial Aid for information on financial aid
  • Contact the Career Center for information on graduate placement rates, career planning and job search strategies.

Fraud and Misrepresentation for Financial Aid Purposes

Purdue University Northwest’s Office of Financial Aid is committed to maintaining the highest level of integrity in all interactions with students, parents, and the Department of Education. The Office of Financial Aid carefully monitors all financial aid documents for potential errors or discrepancies – including willful misrepresentations, or fraud.

Per Federal regulations, Purdue University Northwest is required to report to the Department’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) any individual who is suspected of fraud, or deliberate misrepresentation of information which may affect an applicant’s eligibility for Title IV aid (see statute 34 CFR 668.16(g)(1)). In addition to reporting our suspicions to the OIG, we may also verify award eligibility for previous aid years; students may be required to repay some or all aid which has previously disbursed. Section 490(a) of the Higher Education Act outlines the potential penalties of financial aid fraud:

“Any person who knowingly and willfully embezzles, misapplies, steals, obtains by fraud, false statement, or forgery […] or attempts to so embezzle, misapply, steal, obtain by fraud, false statement or forgery […] shall be fined not more than $20,000 or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both, except if the amount so embezzled, misapplied, stolen, obtained by fraud, false statement, or forgery, or failed to be refunded does not exceed $200, then the fine shall not be more than $5,000 and imprisonment shall not exceed one year, or both.”

By accepting Purdue University Northwest’s Terms and Conditions of a financial aid award or receiving Title IV Financial Aid, students acknowledge and accept the above relevant statutes.