The 1999-2000 Government of the Student Body senate has wrapped up its business, making way for the new leaders who are representing ISU students.

Besides approving numerous changes to the GSB bylaws, the senate used its special session Monday night to discuss a bill to eliminate potential conflicts of interest between GSB and the constituency councils the senators represent.

Currently, GSB senators may serve as the executive officer of their respective constituency councils. Jason Shenton, USAC, and Ben Golding, engineering, are the highest officials of the USAC and engineering constituency councils.

According to the bill, which was passed by a vote of 15-12-3, this dual responsibility “has the potential to create a conflict of interest or an unfairly biased perspective.”

For example, the highest executive of each council has the power to excuse his or her council’s GSB senator from senate meetings, pointed out the bill’s author, Gregory Tew.

“We feel it can create a conflict of interest,” said Tew, engineering.

In addition, the highest executive officer has the power to appoint a senator to fill a vacant senate seat for the constituency. Therefore, executive leaders are able to appoint themselves to the senate.

“No one should have the power to appoint themselves to this senate,” said Chris Wisher, off campus.

Shenton said the double shift does not pose as much of a conflict of interest as a conflict of time.

“It keeps the two in touch,” Shenton said. “But it is not fair to be spreading my time so thin.”

However, Golding said the two-fold service provides “a unique position to send information to the council and to GSB as a whole.”

“I’d hate to take away an opportunity for future students to serve both,” he said.

With its business wrapped up for the year, the old senate made way for the new senate and executive members.

Senate orders to confirm members of the 2000-2001 executive branch will be presented as the first orders of business for the new senate. Pending approval of the senate, Stephen Medanic will be named finance director and Jessica Rohlfing will be named chief of staff.

Members of the cabinet include: Erin Link, secretary; Arthur Nelson, treasurer; Langley Neely, director of Community Outreach; Erica Pint, director of Public Information; Julia Moffitt, director of Lectures, Arts and Entertainment; Stacie Dunlap, director of Minority Affairs; Ratie Rau, director of Academic Affairs; and Andrew Hamilton, director of Traffic, Safety and Transportation.

Other cabinet members include: Rick Cordaro and Alan Terrell, co-directors of Technological Information; Andy Tofilon, Bryce Butler and Jennifer Spencer as co-directors of Intergovernmental Affairs; Kim Knuth, director of Student Involvement; Matt Welk, director of Student Life; and Dustin Kralik, director of Recreation and Intramurals.

The gavel will fall for the 2000-2001 senate for the first time tonight at 7 in the Campanile Room of the Memorial Union. The following will be discussed:

Seating bills

* A bill to seat Alex Olson as an off-campus senator. By Tew and Wisher.

* A bill to seat Shawn Peck as an off-campus senator. By Tew and Wisher.

* A senate order to seat Stephen Medanic as the GSB finance director. By Sims, Norton and others.

* A senate order to seat Jessica Rolfing as GSB chief of staff. By Sims, Wisher and others.

* A senate order to seat the GSB Executive Cabinet. By Tew, Sims and others.

New business

* A bill to allocate $1,197 from the Senate Discretionary Fund to help send ISU students Daniel Davis and Travis Mattson to the 23rd Annual Conference on Stock. By Johnson.