Consumer Information

  1. About
  2. Consumer Information

The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, requires many reporting and disclosure requirements. These requirements are collectively called the HEA Student Consumer Information. The topics cover a variety of areas, including student financial assistance, health and safety, student outcomes, and general institutional information.

For information on colleges and universities across the country, use the College Navigator hosted by the National Center for Educational Statistics. In particular, please note the Cohort Default Rate or CDR Rate for Commonwealth University of PA listed on this page.

A complete listing of Commonwealth University's Accreditations are available online.

A school must designate an employee or group of employees who shall be available on a full-time basis to assist enrolled or prospective students in obtaining information on the school, financial assistance, graduation and completion rates, security policies, and crime statistics, as described in the following sections. If the school designates one person, he shall be available upon reasonable notice to any enrolled or prospective student throughout the normal administrative working hours of the school. If more than one person is designated, their combined work schedules must be arranged so that at least one of them is available upon reasonable notice throughout the normal administrative working hours of the school.

  • Admissions Information: Office of Admissions at 570-389-4316
  • Financial Assistance Information: Office of Financial Aid at 570-389-4297
  • Institutional Information: Office of the Registrar at 570-389-4263
  • Accreditation Information: Office of Institutional Effectiveness at 570-389-4027
  • Student Life and Student Services Information: Office of Student Development and Campus Life at 570-389-5011
  • Technical Support: Help Desk at 570-389-4357

The Department of Education has provided numerous examples in the regulations of topics that cannot be misrepresented within each of the three areas covered by statute 20 USC § 1094(c) (3). Those three areas include:

  • The nature of the institution’s educational programs
  • The institution’s financial charges
  • The employability of the institution’s graduates

Commonwealth University is prohibited under federal regulations from making any false, erroneous, or misleading statement directly or indirectly to a student, prospective student, member of the public, accrediting agency, state agency, or to the Department of Education. Misleading statement includes any statement that has the likelihood or tendency to deceive or confuse. A statement is any communication made in writing, visually, orally, or through other means. This includes student testimonials given under duress or because such testimonial was required to participate in a program.

Federal regulations further provide that substantial misrepresentation is any misrepresentation on which the person to whom it was made could reasonably be expected to rely, or has reasonably relied, to that person’s detriment.

Any violation of this directive will be taken seriously and BU will ensure that it is not repeated.

Procedure: Commonwealth University strives to provide accurate, honest and clear information in print, online, broadcast media or oral presentations. The university will make every effort to avoid misrepresentation to students and others in communications made in writing, visually, orally, or through other means. All misrepresentations should be avoided; however, this procedure specifically applies to the three areas stated above covered by statute 20 USC § 1094(c) (3).

Reporting: Concerns about possible misrepresentation may be reported to Provost and SVP, Academic Affairs, Dr. Michelle Kiec by emailing provost@commonwealthu.edu or calling 570-389-4308.

An institution must make a determination, in accordance with the institution’s policies or procedures, regarding the state in which a student is located, which must be applied consistently to all students. (34 CFR § 600.9(c)(2)) The difference between “location” and “residence” plays an important role in Commonwealth University maintaining compliance with a number of regulations. “Location” is where a student is physically situated while participating in a University course of study. “Residence” applies to the state where a student votes and/or holds a driver’s license. Commonwealth University student location is initially determined by the information provided by the student at the time of enrollment. Student location is updated upon formal receipt of information from the student by the University that the student’s location has changed to another state. Student location may be changed through these University processes:

  • A notice will go out to students at or near the start of each semester to ask them to indicate their physical locations for the semester they are currently enrolled in.
  • Make subsequent updates throughout a semester by contacting the Director of Survey Research and Compliance, John Cosgrove, Ph.D.

Please Note: For SARA and SARA-related purposes, new student initial enrollment at Commonwealth University occurs at the start of each semester and not upon registering for classes or working out financial aid packages.

Illustration of Mountain

Questions and Comments

Questions about the items reported on this webpage may be directed to the Director of Survey Research and Compliance.