Thomas C. Keane, acting director of financial aid and student employment at Cornell University, has been named director effective July 1, announced Donald A. Saleh, dean of admissions and financial aid.

Keane, who joined Cornell in 1983, has been acting director since July 1994, succeeding Saleh in that position.

"I am pleased to announce Tom Keane's appointment as director of Financial Aid and Student Employment," Saleh said. "Over the past 13 years, Tom has proven himself to be an excellent administrator and leader. Tom's appointment solidifies a strong management team for our unit and allows us to focus our attention on developing long-term strategies for the challenges that lie ahead in the area of student financial aid."

As director, Keane manages university, federal and state financial aid programs with a volume of more than $100 million. Of that, $45 million is in university grants. He also is responsible for analyzing and recommending new financial aid systems, coordinating federal aid compliance of the graduate and professional schools and advising the dean on financial aid policies and procedures.

"I am very pleased to have this opportunity to continue to serve Cornell's students and families," Keane said. "I believe our financial aid and student employment programs are among the finest in the country. The cornerstones of our ability to recruit, enroll and graduate the best students are our need-blind admission policy, which evaluates admission regardless of ability to pay, and our financial aid policy, which identifies financial aid resources to meet the needs of our students and families."

Keane said he hopes to continue to improve upon the student-centered service on which the office has been focusing.

"I believe the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment's role is to support the goals of the university: teaching, research and community service. Our aid programs serve to support the recruitment and retention goals of our colleges. Our student employment programs help provide research and community service opportunities for students."

Keane joined Cornell in 1983 as a financial aid counselor and served as assistant director, associate director and acting director of the office. He received his bachelor of arts degree from SUNY Binghamton in 1980 and his master's degree from Bowling Green State University in Ohio in 1982.