“Out with the old and in with the new.”

This is the situation of the Government of the Student Body senate, which saw the 2011-2012 senate terms come to an end last Wednesday night and welcomed in a new senate for the 2012-2013 term Monday night.

Currently, the senate has 33 of the 40 senate spots filled, with 15 of the 33 senators being returning members from last year’s senate. The 2012-2013 senate is considered to be a young senate even with the large amount of returning senators; all returning senators have only served one term.

“I like the ratio of returning new senators to returning ones,” said returning senator Rajin Olson, senior in civil engineering.

For the next three meetings that are left for the school year. the senate plans to select a new speaker of the senate and a vice speaker along with confirming the Executive Cabinet, which president Jared Knight, senior in political science, and vice president Katie Brown, senior in liberal studies, have selected, along with confirming the new finance director. Besides finishing up confirmation of the executive and legislative branches, the senate looks to get the new senators’ feet wet and getting them comfortable with working on bills and financing groups.

Some returning senators are hoping they can get the new senators up to speed and form new friendships with these new senators during the next couple weeks. They said the formation of these new friendships should lead into some of the goals that some members of the senate have for next year.

“I want to see more camaraderie among each other, professional relationships and friendships among senate members and also between both branches,” Knight said. 

Knight also spoke about how this year’s senate has more returning senators than last year’s, which will benefit the senate as a whole and the incoming senators. He also stated that the new senate members seemed to be confident and driven individuals.

New senators like Zach Bauer, freshman in political science, look to see a better representation of constituents by this new senate and also a stronger retention of senators.

“I am excited to work with new and old senators to represent my constituents and improve the Iowa State experience,” Bauer said.

Olson also echoed what Bauer said about reducing senate turnover and connecting with constituents. Olson commented that, with the passing of the “Connecting with Constituents” bill, there will be a better connection between senate members and constituents. He also stated he would like to see senate take another look at forming the First Year Funding Committee, which works with funding first-year clubs. Currently, GSB has strict guidelines about funding first-year clubs and organizations.

Knight offered a piece of advice for the senate on how to be a successful senator.

“Make it fun,” he said. “You won’t enjoy it if you don’t have fun.”