Quality Assurance Program
Colorado State University participates in Institutional Quality Assurance, which allows the University to develop and implement a system for verifying financial aid application data.
This program is governed by federal regulations, and the results of our findings are reported to the federal government.
If selected, students must submit documentation to verify the information provided on the financial aid application. Errors made may change aid eligibility. Participation is mandatory for selected students, and non-compliance can result in cancellation of fall and spring aid.
Quality Assurance Program Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
1. What is the Quality Assurance (QA) Program?
The United States Department of Education requires postsecondary schools that administer and deliver student financial aid to conduct activities that will verify financial aid information provided by students. The QA Program was implemented in 1985 by the Department of Education to provide schools with an alternative management approach for developing their own systems for verifying student financial aid application data.
2. What is the purpose of the Quality Assurance Program?
The purpose is to ensure that federal money is awarded and disbursed to students correctly and to identify problems in the financial aid process. We review the information you provide and based on our findings, we implement improvements to reduce or eliminate errors. Overall, this results in reducing paperwork for students, providing faster turnaround time for processing, and notifying students earlier of their financial aid awards.
3. How was I selected?
All students who applied for financial aid and who had an active admission status are included in the total population. From this total population, 500 students are selected through a computer-generated random sample. The random sample does not choose you because of your dependency status, need, residency, marital status, family size, etc.
4. Am I required to participate?
Yes. Your signature on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Renewal Free Application for Federal Student Aid (REAPP) signifies your agreement to provide verification of application information to Student Financial Services. Your acceptance and receipt of federal aid requires you, as a selected participant, to complete this program. If you do not provide the requested information, federal regulations require cancellation of all awards.
5. What forms and documents must I complete and provide?
At a minimum, you will be required to complete forms and turn in documents concerning your family and 2008 income (parents and/or spouse if applicable). Additional documents may be required to resolve any issues that may not agree with the original figures on your application. Please ensure that all required forms contain the necessary signatures.
6. I thought I already gave you this information?
If selected as part of the sample, the e-mail you receive will indicate where you can see the items needed and any documents already submitted.
7. Why now?
Institutions participating in the QA Program are required to perform an analysis on changes made to the population and use the results of the analysis to evaluate changes in what it does for verification. In order to implement any changes, this analysis must be done before the next aid year begins.
8. My parents are divorced. Whose information do I provide?
You must provide parent information for the parent whose information was provided when you completed the FAFSA or REAPP. If that parent was remarried when you completed your FAFSA or REAPP, the stepparent information must also be included.
9. What happens next?
The information you submitted will be compared with the information you provided on your FAFSA or REAPP. If discrepancies are found, which result in an increase or decrease of financial aid eligibility, we may need to revise your 2009-2010 awards (excluding outside scholarships). You will be notified of the results of your QA information.
10. If I have questions, who should I contact?
Contact Student Financial Services, which is located in Room 103 Administration Annex. To speak with a telephone representative, call (970) 491-6321.