"All of Maryland's 60-some universities have adopted student loan regulations after a national investigation of the industry revealed some financial aid officers received kickbacks from lenders," reports The Baltimore Examiner. "Even at financial aid offices where no kickbacks were uncovered, workers are still reluctant to give any advice to students for fear of eliciting any perceptions of impropriety, said Sarah Bauder, financial aid director for University of Maryland, College Park. University officials are prohibited from receiving anything of value from lending institutions in exchange for steering students toward those lenders, according to the new code of conduct established by Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler."