PUBLIC LAW 102-325—JULY 23, 1992 106 STAT. 629 the results of the audits of eligible institutions conducted pursuant to paragraph (1)(A). (6) The Secretary is authorized to provide any information collected as a result of au(Uts conducted under this section, together with audit ii^ormation collected by guaranty agencies, to any Federal or State agency having responsibilities wim respect to student financial assistance, including those referred to in subsection (a)(15) of this section. ". "(7) Effective with respect to any audit conducted under this Effective date, subsection ^ter December 31, 1988, if, in the course of conducting any such audit, the personnel of the Department of Education discover, or are informed of, grants or other assistance provided by an institution in accordance with this title for which the institution has not received funds appropriated under this title (in the amount necessary to provide such assistance), including funds for which reimbursement was not requested prior to such discovery or information, such institution shall be permitted to offset that amount against any simis determined to be owed by the institution pursuant to such audit, or to receive reimbursement for that amount (if the institution does not owe any such simis).". (e) CONSTRUCTION.— Section 487 of the Act, as amended by subsection (a), is further amended by adding at the end the following: "(e) CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in the amendments made by the Higher Education Amendments of 1992 shall be construed to prohibit an institution from recording, at the cost of the institution, a hearing referred to in subsection (b)(2), subsection (c)(1)(D), or subparagraph (A) or (B)(i) of subsection (c)(2), of this section to create a record of the hearing, except the imavailability of a recording shall not serve to delay the completion of the proceeding. The Secretary shall allow the institution to use any reasonable means, including stenographers, of recording the hearing.". (f) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS. — Section 487 of the Act is amended— (1) by striking "subpart 3" in subsection (a) and inserting "subpart 4"; (2) by striking "provided for in section 483(e)" in subsection (a)(2);and (3) by striking "435(a)" in subsection (d) and inserting "481". SEC. 491. QUALITY ASSURANCE; IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS. Part G of title IV of the Act is further amended by inserting after section 487 the following new sections: •«EC. 487A. QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM. 20 USC 1094a. "(a) IN GENERAL.— The Secretary is authorized to select institutions for voluntary participation in a Quality Assurance Program that provides participating institutions with an alternative management approach through which individual schools develop and implement their own comprehensive systems to verify student financial aid application data, thereby enhancing program integrity within the student aid delivery system. The Quality Assurance Program authorized by this section shall be based on criteria that include demonstrated institutional performance, as determined by the Secretary, and shall take into consideration current quality assurance goals, as determined by the Secretary. "(b) EXEMPTION FROM REQUIREMENTS. —The Secretary is authorized to exempt any institution participating in the Quality Assurance Program from any reporting or verification requirements in
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