DES MOINES — New members of the Iowa Senate and House of Representatives were sworn in Monday at the Capitol in Des Moines before beginning business for 2003.

More than one-third of the representatives are new to the House, including Rep. Jim Kurtenbach, R-Ames, and Rep. Lisa Heddens, D-Ames.

Heddens was the first representative to sign the oath of office. Kurtenbach was the last to sign the oath.

Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, said he was proud to become a member of the Senate.

“I’m just very honored to be here,” he said.

Quirmbach, associate professor of economics at Iowa State, said he will not teach while the Senate is in session.

He said he’ll be taking a leave without pay while the Senate is in session so he can direct his attention to legislative duties full time.

Quirmbach stressed the importance of student involvement with government.

He said he hopes ISU students will keep him informed about concerns they have when dealing with the Legislature.

Heddens, a family support coordinator, said she supports higher education, according to Daily staff reports.

“[Education should be] accessible and affordable to students,” she said.

Kurtenbach, associate professor of accounting, said he values students and will strive to improve Iowa.

“The main thing is trying to create jobs so that students have a place to work [in Iowa] when they graduate,” Kurtenbach told the Daily in an earlier interview.

Senate Majority Leader Stewart Iverson, R-Dows, said student achievement and economic improvement should be priorities.

“I think it is important to stress that these are not Republican goals, they are not Democrat goals, they are the goals of all Iowans,” Iverson said.

Legislators in both chambers said it is important for Democrats and Republicans to work together in leading the state.

Representatives and senators also said they were pleased with the recent renovations to their respective chambers.

President of the Senate Mary Kramer, R-Des Moines, said the chambers have been restored historically and functionally to accommodate technological advances.

House Minority Leader Richard Myers, D-Iowa City, said the renovations reveal the true beauty of the House chambers.

“This room has always been beautiful, but today its elegance is almost overwhelming,” Myers said.