With mixed emotions, tears and laughter, the Government of the Student Body reflected on the past year and looked ahead to the new session during the GSB Inauguration Tuesday night in the Campanile Room of the Memorial Union.

Andy Tofilon and Charlie Johnson were sworn in as the new executives who will lead the 36 new senators through the next session.

With tears in his eyes, GSB President Ben Golding said he has no regrets about the 2000-2001 GSB session.

“When our senate took the hard issues to debate, when we represented the students’ interests instead of our own – that was the hard road to take,” said Golding, senior in construction engineering from Cedar Rapids.

He asked Lisa Dlouhy, his vice president and friend, “When I leave to go to Los Angeles, who are you going to have to boss around?”

“I don’t know,” Dlouhy said, as Golding tossed to her a frustration ball with his picture on it.

The former executives said their partnership was a union of support.

“We supported each other, no matter what,” said Dlouhy, senior in pre-business from Bettendorf. “I think [Golding] raised the standard of excellence.”

Keynote speaker Teresa Uchytil, 2000 Miss Iowa, told the former and newly pledged senators and cabinet members to stay involved and have fun doing it.

“The life skills you gain from being involved as a student on campus are absolutely amazing,” said Uchytil, a 1998 ISU graduate, featured twirler and former GSB senator. “It’s about life and making a difference in the lives of others.”

With an engraved gavel in his hand, given to him by Dlouhy, Vice President Johnson said it is important to remember the reason GSB exists – to represent the students.

“All of us are here because people decided we would be,” said Johnson, junior in political science from Waterloo. “We’ve been given a challenge and a mandate to serve the concerns of the students. . Our challenge is beginning now, and I hope you’re up to it.”

President Tofilon said he and Johnson want to be “leaders of change” as they work to keep tuition affordable and curb binge drinking at Iowa State.

Tofilon encouraged senators to keep open lines of communication inside and outside the GSB office.

“We are students, and we must never forget that,” said Tofilon, junior in journalism and mass communication from Davenport. “In everything we do, we must work for them.”