A.S. councilmembers have appointed new officers to fill the seats of the commissioners of diversity affairs and athletics, as well as an interim replacement for the vice president external position after two resignations and an election with no candidates for the athletics post left them vacant early last year.

Through an open application process, the council appointed Sixth College senior Candice Arnwine to fill the diversity office and Earl Warren College senior Anna Ahlin to take over the commissioner of athletics post. Warren sophomore Samantha Peterson, the former administrative liaison for the A.S. external committee, is temporarily filling the position of former Vice President External Kevin Mann, who resigned on Sept. 29.

Before the appointments of the three officers, A.S. President Christopher Sweeten had been performing all of their responsibilities. Although Sweeten had the ability to recommend a replacement to the council under the A.S. constitution, he opted to form a committee to select new commissioners instead.

“We wanted to make sure that we picked the most qualified candidates for these positions,” said Revelle College Senior Senator Rachel Corell, who sat on the four-person selection committee along with Sweeten, Vice President Internal Angela Fornero and Sixth College Senior Senator Matt Corrales.

All UCSD students were allowed to interview for the positions, publicized to undergraduates through e-mails sent out by the council. Although Corell said that the turnout for the interviews was good, she also said that Arnwine and Ahlin quickly proved themselves to be the frontrunners for their respective positions.

“Candice and Anna were the shining stars that stood out from the interview process,” Corell said. “They both had concrete ideas on how to improve their offices, as well as the programming experience we were looking for.”

Under the constitution, the nominations must be presented for approval by voting senators. Arnwine, questioned before the council at the Oct. 12 meeting, was approved by consensus. However, Ahlin, who was absent from the Oct. 12 meeting due to prior commitments, was approved on Oct. 19.

During that meeting, Arnwine expressed a desire to unite UCSD students of all races, sexual orientations and socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as interface with other universities and local secondary schools.

“Our students need a cultural celebration that is practiced annually as an entire school and not just separate colleges. I would like to schedule a huge diversity fair before the year ends that incorporates music, cultural arts, crafts, foods, dances, book signings and lectures from activists within our community” Arnwine said.

Ahlin expressed similar sentiment, explaining that one of her primary duties as commissioner of athletics will be to bridge the gap between the UCSD community and the intercollegiate athletics department, as well as to raise school spirit and attendance at sporting events.

“Triton spirit does exist at UCSD,” Ahlin said. “The UCSD community just does not know when and where to show it. I interviewed for this position not because I have had a negative experience with the athletics department, but because I have ideas on how to make the experiences of the UCSD community more positive.”

After Mann’s resignation, an open-interview process was implemented to replace him, but due to Peterson’s experience with the A.S. Council and previous legislative experience, she was appointed as a “qualified” candidate. Her interim tenure as Mann’s replacement will expire on Oct. 25, but she stated that she plans to reapply for the position at the end of her term.

“I was happy to step up and take the leadership position when I needed to,” Peterson said. “I’m well acquainted with the issues of fees, voting and student-initiated outreach, all of which are going to be critical in the upcoming November election.”