Craig Munier, one of three finalists chosen to potentially fill the vacant position of director of financial services at the University of Wisconsin, spoke to members of the faculty and a student about his qualifications and goals concerning academic financial services during a press conference at the Red Gym Tuesday.

Upon the retirement of former Director of Student Financial Services Steve Van Ess earlier this year, the Office of Student Financial Services has set out to find an adequate person for the position.

To select Ess' successor, a Search and Screen Committee consisting of about 10 people pored over various résumés and conducted numerous phone interviews to obtain the three finalists for the position.

Aside from Munier, the committee also selected Albert Hermsen, associate director for fiscal management and scholarships at the University of Michigan and Susan Fisher, associate director of student financial services at UW.

As a finalist for the position, Munier said he has a "vision" to make financial aid more accessible to students.

"It is unnecessary for a student to have to step into a financial aid office in order to receive financial aid," Munier said. "We should also never have to ask students to provide information that the financial services already has."

Munier, who has worked in financial service positions at Iowa State University, the University of Illinois and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln since the 1970s, added student financial services are often too "lazy" to properly help students in need.

At the conference, Munier addressed diversity issues and their connection to the financial services provided on campus.

"Poor is poor regardless of the color of skin," Munier said. "Low income is not evenly distributed between races."

Yet Munier said providing aid for minority students is not only an investment in them, but in the university as well.

"The majority of people benefit from a diverse student population," he said. "So it is a necessary investment for all students in order to get a quality education."

Munier added helping minority students gain access to higher education is one of his top priorities.

"I wanted to change the world," Munier said, adding he plans to focus on helping students who simply "had the bad luck of being born into poor families."

UW senior and employee at the Student Financial Services Office on campus, Timothy Dieck, after doing research on Munier's candidacy, said Munier could be the man for the job.

"I think he is very well qualified," he said after looking into records at Munier's former employer, UN-Lincoln.

During his research, Dieck said he found "Nebraska financial aid runs smoothly."

Dieck added Munier could have an edge over one of the other finalists, Albert Hermsen from the University of Michigan.

"Michigan has a private endowment with tons of money," he said, adding Hermsen could have a difficult transition to UW.

Prior to Munier's lecture, the Administrative Assistant to the Student Financial Services Director, Cheryll Raue, said the process was "going well."

Raue added the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Division of Enrollment Management will make the final decision, despite what the financial services department agrees on.