Paying For College

Special Circumstances Appeals

Special Circumstances Appeals

Students with documented ‘Special Circumstances’ and/or other circumstances beyond your control tied to COVID-19 that negatively affects you/your family’s financial situation may want to consider a federal Professional Judgement Appeal. SUNY Sullivan’s Financial Aid Office may be able to review your special circumstances to adjust the amount of federal financial aid you receive or would have received for the 2021-2022 academic year.

If your family has experienced a change in income due to unusual or special circumstances due to the pandemic, the SUNY Sullivan financial aid office has Professional Judgement and U.S. Department of Education-guided flexibility to re-evaluate your situation for the following reasons:

  • Loss of job or permanent/indefinite reduction of work hours
  • Separation or divorce
  • Death of a member of your immediate family
  • High non-reimbursed medical expense
  • Your parents took money out of their pension/retirement plan as a one-time payment to help cover expenses
  • Other documented special circumstances outside of the student’s control

If you would like to apply for an American Rescue ACT Special Circumstance Professional Judgement Appeal Review, please download and complete the Request for Special Conditions form. Please remember that all of the required documentation must be submitted with the appeal form. You may mail, fax, email, or drop off your completed Request For Special Conditions, along with all the required documentation, to the Financial Aid Office.

Cover Letter: American Rescue ACT- Last Name of Student & ID #

Subject: American Rescue ACT- Last Name of Student & ID#

Please allow 2-3 weeks for processing time. The Financial Aid Office will email you once the appeal has been complete.

Financial Aid Office

112 College Road
Loch Sheldrake, NY 12759
finaid@sunysullivan.edu
FAX: 845-434-0014

Hours

Monday-Friday: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday: Closed

Meet the Financial Aid Team

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Keri Whitehead

DIRECTOR

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Adam Linko

Financial Aid Officer

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Nicole Feller

Financial Aid Officer

An institutional financial aid professional is expected to always maintain exemplary standards of professional conduct in all aspects of carrying out his or her responsibilities, specifically including all dealings with any entities involved in any manner in student financial aid, regardless of whether such entities are involved in a government sponsored, subsidized or regulated activity. 

The Financial Aid Professional shall: 

  1. Refrain from taking any action for his or her personal benefit.
  2. Refrain from taking any action he or she believes is contrary to law, regulation or the best interests of the students and parents he or she serves.
  3. Ensure that the information he or she provides is accurate, unbiased and does not reflect any preference arising from actual or potential personal gain.
  4. Be objective in making decisions and advising his or her institution regarding relationships with any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.
  5. Refrain from soliciting or accepting anything of other than nominal value from any entity (other than an institution of higher education or a governmental entity such as the U.S. Department of Education) involved in the making, holding, consolidating or processing of any student loans including anything of value (including reimbursement of expenses) for serving on an advisory body or as part of a training activity of or sponsored by any such entity.
  6. Disclose to his or her institution, in such manner as his or her institution may prescribe, any involvement with or interest in any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.

Please note that this pertains to FFELP loans awarded prior to the 2008-2009 school year and to alternative loans. Since the 2008-2009 school year Sullivan County Community College continued to process alternative loans but began and will continue to award student loans through the Federal Direct Loan program. 

  1. Sullivan County Community College works diligently to ensure that its officers, employees and agents avoid conflicts of interest in connection with their responsibilities relating to providing and administering student loans for our students. In accordance with state and federal law, you should be aware that the following activities are prohibited. Some of these prohibitions involve technical definitions which can be found by referring to the applicable state and federal law. If you wish to obtain this information, please contact the financial aid office. 
  2. Sullivan County Community College does not enter into any revenue-sharing arrangement with any lender.
  3. No officer, employee or agent of Sullivan County Community College who is employed in the financial aid office or who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to education loans will solicit or accept any gift or other thing of value from a lender, guarantor or loans or servicer of education loans. You should be aware that certain items provided or contributed by lenders are not considered gifts such as training materials, philanthropic contributions unrelated to education loans and entrance and exit counseling services.
  4. No officer, employee or agent of Sullivan County Community College who is employed in the financial aid office or who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to education loans will accept from any lender or affiliate of any lender any fee, payment or other financial benefit (including the opportunity to purchase stock) as compensation for any type of consulting arrangement or other contract to provide services to a lender or on behalf of a lender relating to education loans.
  5. Sullivan County Community College will not for any first-time borrower assign, through award packaging or other methods, the borrower’s loan to a particular lender or refuse to certify or delay certification of any loan based on the borrower’s selection of a particular lender or guaranty agency.
  6. Sullivan County Community College will not request or accept from any lender any offer of funds to be used for private education loans, including funds for an opportunity pool loan, to students in exchange for the campus providing concessions or promises regarding providing the lender with a specified number of loans made, insured or guaranteed a specified loan volume or a preferred lender arrangement for such loans.
  7. Sullivan County Community College does not request or accept from any lender any assistance with call center staffing or financial aid office staffing.
  8. No employee of Sullivan County Community College who is employed in the financial aid office or who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to education loans or other student financial aid and who serves on an advisory board, commission or group established by a lender, guarantor or group of lenders or guarantors will receive anything of value from the lender, guarantor or group of lenders or guarantors for such service.

MISSION STATEMENT OF THE FINANCIAL AID OFFICE

The Office of Financial Aid at SUNY Sullivan is comprised of a team of dedicated professionals committed to assisting students and their families in obtaining financial resources to help meet their financial obligation to the college while assuring compliance with Federal, State and Institutional regulations. The Office of Financial Aid provides quality customer service in delivering information on federal, state, institutional and alternative sources of financial aid, and debt management while in college and thereafter. In pursuing our mission, we provide accurate and accessible information to the campus community recognizing that only together we can achieve our common goal to enhance enrollment, retention and the academic success of our students 

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