The new Government of the Student Body Senate wasted no time acting irresponsibly.

At the Senate’s first meeting Wednesday night, senators voted to reject GSB President Rob Wiese’s nominee for finance director.

The Senate absolutely has the right to turn down the president’s nominee. In fact, in some cases, it’s obligated to do so.

The problem is that there simply was no good reason to turn down Jeremy Williams, a senior in computer engineering, for the job. Without going into detail, Williams is certainly qualified for the position. Among other things, he’s a member of this year’s Finance Committee.

The rejection is nothing less than dirty pool. It’s a sham. It’s a crock, really.

We understand that some senators were upset that Wiese didn’t renominate this year’s finance director, Todd Swanson. And Swanson, frankly, did a great job. But that’s not the point.

It’s not the job of the Senate to solicit its own candidates. It’s the job of the Senate to approve or reject a nominee based on his or her qualifications. By playing politics, the Senate failed in its duty. It failed the Iowa State students it claims to represent.

And it’s not exactly unreasonable for Wiese not to feel comfortable working with Swanson. Wiese beat Swanson in a close vote for president just a few months ago. By the same token, could the U.S. Senate reasonably expect President Clinton to nominate Bob Dole as Treasury secretary? Not a chance.

But that’s not even the irresponsible part. For that, look at the Wednesday meeting itself.

The Senate voted Williams in the first time around. Sure it was close, 20-17, and the vice president had to vote to put Williams over the top, but it was official — a done deal until a couple of people changed their minds. Apparently — after some heavy soul searching or, more likely, some heavy politicking — senators Kari Ditsworth and Brooke Douglas had a change of heart in the span of a couple of minutes.

So the Senate reconsidered, and Williams lost.

Nope. That’s not quite right.

The Senate lost its credibility.

And in the end, we, the students, are the ultimate losers.