Mervine accepts financial aid director position
Campus Times
September 25, 1998
The University of La Verne began an arduous process last February. The
search was on to find a new director of financial aid. On Wednesday, the
search concluded when Edward J. Mervine took residence in Woody Hall as
the leader of an office that affects every student at ULV.
Dr. Len Hightower, assistant to the president, oversaw the search committee
which eventually decided that Mervine was their man.
The criteria that the search committee was looking for in the new director,
Dr. Hightower listed: successful management of a financial aid department,
good planning and organizational skills and strong communication skills
with the financial aid staff, students and the University community.
Dr. Hightower also said, "We were looking for someone who generally
feels that the student is their client, and has an approach and philosophy
that is student centered."
Since the departure of Bob Peters as director of financial aid, the
University had contracting: "Financial Aid Services" of Marietta
Georgia to conduct the business of the office.
Ann Sturtevant, vice president of financial aid services, has been acting
director of La Verne's financial aid office over the past three months.
Dr. Hightower said that Sturtevant has worked to put into place a more
student oriented process that he believes has already started to show results.
"We are not receiving as many complaints about the quality of service,
complaints have gone down," said Dr. Hightower.
The efforts of Sturtevant will go a long way in making Mervine's job
less difficult. One of the most common complaints by students about the
financial aid office in the past has been the attitude of the office staff.
Dr. Hightower believes that financial aid, although it is not where
it needs to be, is on the right track and Mervine is taking over a department
that has a lot of positive momentum.
"People seem to be getting through quicker, and are able to talk
to their advisers quicker now than in the past," said Dr. Hightower.
However, Hightower did say that the search committee was looking to
find someone who had experience dealing with the number of students that
ULV currently has. The Financial Aid office on the main campus is responsible
for the packaging of all ULV students worldwide.
"The financial aid office currently assists over 5,000 students,"
said Dr. Hightower.
Mervine received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University
of Akron, Ohio. He most recently served as the associate dean, student finance
and director of financial aid at DeVry Institute of Technology for both
their Pomona and Long Beach offices in a post that he has held since 1994.
Prior to working at DeVry, Mervine acted as the director of admittance
and financial aid at the College of Oceaneering in Wilmington, Calif. from
1993 to 1994. Between 1986 and 1988, Mervine was the associate director
of financial aid at the University of Southern California. With all of this
experience under his belt, the University found Mervine to be suitable for
this job.
