Speakers at Wednesday’s Student Senate meeting discussed tuitions and fees and energy conservation, and the changes that could be made to these issues.

Julie Rice Mallette, associate vice provost and director of financial aid, spoke at the meeting on her history at N.C. State, and the evolution of tuitions and fees rates.

One aspect of tuition and fees that could change in the future is Distance Education courses, she said.

With a new UNC-system Web system, students may be able to take Distance Education courses not available on-site.

“This would allow you to take any courses across the system for N.C. State credit, as long as the Registrar [approves it],” she said. “When that program is implemented, it will probably be beneficial for N.C. State students.”

Currently, a Distance Education course costs $139 per credit hour, she said, and this cost is added to the normal cost of tuition, because the University will assume that students are taking a full course load on campus.

But there is a possibility that Distance Education courses could be available on a per-credit-hour-basis, instead of adding on top of other costs.

“If it does pass, it could mean some students will pay more, [and] some will pay less,” she said.

Another issue Mallette said her department is working on is the cost of textbooks. The office of financial aid allocates $938 for a student’s books and supplies, but she said UNC President Erskine Bowles is applying pressure to reduce the cost of books.

She said the financial aid department has worked with the University Bookstore to estimate the average costs of books, and surveyed students on how much they pay, but she said the results are never as high as anecdotal information from students.

According to Mallette, students may also be forced to have proof of health insurance before entering the University, but she said NCSU is resisting the idea because it is now assumed that most students are covered by insurance.

To date, $31.3 million has been distributed in financial aid, and she said that when tuitions and fees are increased, it helps account for a lot of money for needy students.

So if the $100 tuition increases for in-state students and $200 increases for out-of-state students are approved for next school year, “a good bit will go to financial aid,” she said.

Rob Thompson of the NC Public Interest Research Group also spoke, discussing his group’s involvement in energy conservation efforts and motivating students to vote.

“N.C. State is highly-regarded across the United States as one of the best science and tech schools in the land,” he said.

So if the University takes further steps in reducing greenhouse emissions and using alternative energy sources, it can have a wide influence.

Also, he said he would be willing to work with the student government to help register more students to vote.

While it is not confirmed that NC PIRG will partner with the student government, Student Body President Bobby Mills said the University is working to promote energy conservation.

A new conservation challenge will be held between sorority houses, he said, and Governor Mike Easley announced the plans for the Advanced Transportation Energy Center to develop plug-in batteries for hybrid vehicles Tuesday.

“It’s a good step in the right direction,” Mills, a junior in political science, said.