The outgoing Undergraduate Student Senate held its last meeting of the year yesterday, taking turns thanking one another and offering advice to the next USS.

Outgoing Executive Director Gary Broadbent also passed the gavel to new Executive Director Bill Ross.

“Bill, it’s a thankless job. It’s a lonely job, and now, it’s your job,” Broadbent said. “I’d like to thank the students for allowing me the opportunity to serve them.”

After exchanging pecks on the cheek with Sen. Kate Metzger, he turned to Ross.

“Bill,” Broadbent began.

“I’m not going to kiss you,” Ross said. All the senators laughed.

Broadbent thanked Ross for his work with Faculty Senate. Though Broadbent and Ross didn’t always agree politically, both fought battles out of principle, Broadbent said.

“This senate has proven that we will take action,” Broadbent said, thanking the outgoing USS for raising the visibility of the senate on campus.

Most of the outgoing senators are graduating, and many of their closing remarks recalled fond memories with their fellow senators.

Sen. Chris Bowers, wearing a graduation cap, alluded to a few personal moments with his fellow senators.

“Shane, here’s to poker at 2 a.m. on our retreat and to you throwing a bottle at Dean Jarvie’s door,” Bowers said. “Gary, Golden Flash video.

“Adam, my roommate, I didn’t really know what to expect when I moved in with you. It went OK.” The other senators laughed.

“To the students, I really hope that allocations was able to bring programming that you enjoyed this year,” Bowers said.

Metzger gave shout-outs to Rochester and dancing with “very old women,” to which Broadbent laughed and gave her a thumbs up.

She also thanked Sen. Amber Samuelson for her Elvis impression.

“It is a life-changing experience,” Metzger said.

Metzger also thanked former Sen. Doug Tayek, who was in the audience, for his legacy and high expectations.

Sen. Adam Croweak said working with the senate was a great pleasure.

“Gary, Orlando was a blast,” he added.

Samuelson joked about filibustering by reading from the phone directory. She thanked Metzger for being a “voice of reason” and told the new senate not to judge its success by how many times members’ names are in the paper or on TV-2 but by how much of a difference members make.

“Self-promotion is hardly an accomplishment,” she said.

The other senators’ advice for the new USS was about working hard and starting early.

“The biggest piece of advice I can offer you: hit the ground running,” Sen. Shane Lewis said.

Sen. Valerie Fatica told them to “work, work, work” because they have more ability to change things than the average student.

“You have a great opportunity,” Fatica said. “I suggest you take advantage of it.”

Contact student politics reporter Jessica Rothschuh at jrothsch@kent.