What was planned to be a routine Associated Students Inc. working board meeting Feb. 16 turned into a lively forum of engineering and computer science students disagreeing with ASI President Josh Wood’s choice for the program’s new director.

The former director of engineering and computer science, Meika Stoddard, spoke on behalf of the group of engineering students from the Engineering Joint Council. Stoddard, who is the current president of the council, resigned from ASI at the end of last semester.

The group made clear its disagreement with Wood’s initial recommendation for the position. Stoddard said Wood was going to appoint Ankur Dhawan, one of two candidates for the position.

Stoddard and members of the Engineering Joint Council came to the meeting to support the other candidate, Graham Ryland, the current vice chair of the Engineering Joint Council.

Wood said he had been “going back and forth” in his decision regarding the two candidates.”There is no other candidate more qualified for this position than Graham Ryland,” Stoddard told the board.

After the meeting Wood said he had come to a decision regarding the open position.”I’m going to go with Graham,” Wood said.

But Dhawan insists he is more qualified. In an open letter to the Engineering Joint Council, Dhawan spelled out his desire for the position and invited Ryland to a debate on the issues.”I understand your support behind Mr. Graham Ryland … I must urge you, however, to look at the differences between the candidates,” Dhawan said.

“Do we need someone who is really good at building robots – or do we need a person who knows the issues?”

Dhawan said that he had the engineering program’s interests at heart when he opposed the Recreation, Wellness and Events Center and supported the creation of a retention center.

ASI operating rules state that the director of engineering and computer sciences must also have served as president of the Engineering Joint Council.

Dhawan has not served in that position, but Ryland is currently the vice chair. “I can tell you that 99 percent of the job is maintaining the joint council,” Stoddard told the board.

Stoddard said she plans to step down as president of the council and Ryland will take the position.

Both Ryland and Dhawan were present at the meeting but neither spoke to the board during the open forum.

Ryland said afterward that Wood had told him personally that he would be the next director of engineering and computer science.

But Ryland said Wood cancelled an interview, causing confusion and speculation that Wood was going to appoint Dhawan.

“I’ve been going back and forth,” Wood said. “But if the students want Ryland, I’m going with him.”