The Undergraduate Student Association Council appointed Jesse Melgar and Matthew Sandler to the external vice president and general representative positions, respectively, during Tuesday’s meeting.
Much of the council’s tabled discussion prior to Sandler’s appointment focused on his lack of experience in either USAC or the general representative’s office.
Melgar’s appointment came after some councilmembers said they approved of his experience as assistant external vice president this past year.
Both Sandler and Melgar were interviewed by USAC President Gabe Rose prior to the council meeting and were appointed to the table after the resignations of former External Vice President Justin Hotter and former General Representative Sanobar Sajan in early January.
Rose nominated Sandler after receiving Sandler’s application and interviewing him with two other council members, Internal Vice President Dianne Tanjuaquio and Cultural Affairs Commissioner Bernice Shaw.
At the meeting, Rose said that he received four applications for the general representative position and said that choosing his nomination was difficult.
“Each one of the applicants are very different,” Rose said. “I really felt that Matt stood out.”
Sandler, a third-year music performance student, said that he currently serves on the Model United Nation’s executive board as president, but he did not hold any positions directly related to USAC prior to his appointment.
Rose said Sandler will bring a fresh mind and perspective to council as a student leader with no prior USAC experience.
“I really felt that (Sandler’s) fresh non-partisan perspective and his ideas proved he was the strongest candidate,” Rose said.
Sandler said his top goals for the general representative office are to create a series of UCLA musician showcases, off-campus housing workshops, a student leadership training program and a speaker series on atypical professional careers away from business, law and government.
Councilmember Shaw said she had concerns regarding Sandler’s lack of USAC experience and ability to pull off all his proposed plans in office and continue Sajan’s former programs, including advocating to educate more voters.
“I don’t know how (Sandler) will be able to start from scratch and continue these projects,” Shaw said.
General Representative Michelle Lyon said Sandler would be a beneficial addition to council.
“He will learn quickly,” Sandler said. “I see this much more as a positive than a negative.”
Financial Supports Commissioner Clinton Jang said the council should take advantage of the opportunity to appoint an undergraduate student who is not partial to campus politics and does not bring a personal agenda to the council table.
“It is pretty refreshing,” Jang said. “This does not happen too often.”
Soon after Sandler was sworn in and took a seat at the table, Rose followed with his second council appointment. Rose said he held three interviews and decided that Melgar, third-year political science, was the best choice.
“Jesse has been the leader of the two most important projects in the External Vice President’s office. I can’t imagine someone more intimately involved all year,” Rose said.
During council discussion, Shaw asked Melgar whether he will keep Hotter’s former goals or plan to implement new ones once in office.
Melgar said he wanted to continue Hotter’s work especially regarding the expansion of the Bruin Lobby Corps, a group of students whose main goal it is to lobby legislators on issues of student affordability and access to education.
Melgar also said he would like to plan a “UCLA in L.A. Lobby Day” during spring quarter to advocate collaboration among student groups that do not usually work together.