On May 21, the 2003-04 A.S. Council got a bit larger when positions left open after the Students First! slate’s mass disqualification in April were filled by appointment. Some positions have already been filled while the rest should be confirmed by the A.S. senate by May 23.

In fact, many of the appointees are former members of Students First!, including appointed vice president external Harish Nandagopal (pending an open roll call vote on May 23) and new commissioner of communications Frances Galvon. Former Students First! candidate Stephanie Aguon was appointed the commissioner of diversity affairs last week.

Once these open positions are filled, the council can get down to the business of serving the student body, and this is unquestionably good. It is also clear that these candidates are capable, qualified and passionate about campus issues being increasingly addressed by a government run by and for the students, which can only benefit UCSD. Overall, their appointments will bring positive attributes to A.S. Council.

However, the past cannot easily be forgotten. Around all the members of Students First! lingers the after-effects of this year’s contentious election. Though it is impossible to know which members of the slate or the slate’s hangers-on were directly responsible for the disqualification and the deceit that followed, it is clear that none of them is without blame. They were disqualified for defying a legitimate and fair ruling of the elections committee, and their reaction to this disqualification was bitter. While this could be written off as extreme action under extreme circumstances, one hopes they will leave behind whatever disrespect they may have harbored for the rules governing A.S. Council.

Nandagopal, Galvon and Aguon will step into their positions as talented, prepared politicians, but the stigma that follows them cannot be ignored. They would do well to remember next year how they got into office — and how they almost didn’t.