Many of the new AVP appointees ran for A.S. Council positions with the Let’s Act! slate.

Nine new Associate Vice Presidents were nominated and confirmed at the A.S Council meeting on May 14.

Due to current AVP College Affairs Meena Kaushik’s objection on the interview process, Charlie Cryan, the candidate nominated for AVP College Affairs, was not confirmed.

According to A.S. Council bylaws, the committee who conducts the interviews requires four senators to be present, and one of them must be a college senator to ensure that there’s input from the colleges. However, according to Kaushik, the original committee only included a college senator in the appointment process but not the interview process. 

“I think it’s very important, especially for this position, that there was college input and that a college senator was involved for the entire process and not just at the end,” Kaushik said.

According to A.S. President Robby Boparai, Council did not notice that the mistake was made. He attributed the error to the “disorganization” of the standing rules caused by changes made by the previous Council.

Kaushik said that she will ensure that all the logistics are in place for the chosen candidate in the fall.

AVP Student Services Bijan Mehryar believes that council members share the ability and commitment to enhance the students’ experience. Mehryar thinks that as long as A.S. Council maintains that perspective, it will have the capacity to enhance the student body’s experience.

AVP Environmental Justice Affairs Sierra Donaldson said that the council members will work cooperatively if they want to be productive.

“I think as long as everybody sticks to their same core beliefs, it doesn’t matter how Council feels about each other as long as they’re debating [the issues] and getting things done,” Donaldson said.

Donaldson also said that she is concerned about the lack of diversity within the group of students appointed to AVP positions. 

“The only concerning trend that I see as a progressive person is that so far there’s only one woman — me — and only one person of color,” Donaldson said. “As long as Council has a diverse mindset, it will be fine; I’m going to stay open-minded.”

Additional new appointees are Austin Peters for AVP Enterprise Operations, Tristan Britt for AVP Student Organizations, Lewis Simon for director of Triton Spirit and Athletics, Daniel Firoozi for AVP Local Affairs, Ryan Huyler for AVP Student Advocacy and Seraphin Raya for AVP Concerts and Events. 

Donaldson, Britt and Raya were all candidates with the Let’s Act! slate, the opposing slate to Tritons Forward — which currently holds all presidential, vice presidential and campuswide senator and academic senator positions — in the Spring Quarter 2014 Week 2 elections. Additionally, Let’s Act! presidential candidate Kyle Heiskala was re-appointed as ASUCSD MOVES Director.