It’s the small things that matter most to people.

With student body elections complete, there are no more bright campaign signs littering campus, no more anti-UNC propaganda, and no free Tootsie Rolls. Instead, we have four top student leaders with bully pulpits to help make our lives at N.C. State better.

And they can begin to improve our campus by starting with the small things.

You see, in recent years, our Student Government has fought grand-scale battles over tuition, athletic privileges and transportation headaches. The student body continuously loses these fights.

While it’s important for our SG leaders to continue taking principled stances for lower costs and greater benefits, our leaders should also make it a priority to address the simple issues that affect students daily.

With this in mind, I’d like to offer Student Body President Bobby Mills and Student Senate President Greg Doucette a few simple ideas for this year’s agenda.

1. Transcripts are overpriced

As a senior, I’ve purchased more than ten transcripts this year alone. The reasons for buying these five-cent pieces of pink paper vary, but most summer programs, graduate schools and employers require university transcripts.

While you would guess that obtaining your transcript from the University would be free-of-charge or cost a dollar for the envelope it comes sealed in, transcripts cost $10 for the first version and $10 for each additional copy. By the way, each time you visit Registration and Records, it costs $10 for the first copy.

This is a burdensome and unfair cost to our students. We pay tuition. We pay fees. We deserve to receive a few copies of our transcript for free. At the very least, lower the cost to $2 to pay for the ink and an envelope.

After graduation, charge the heck out of me for any services I need. But right now, I wish I had the $100 I paid the University for a few sheets of paper.

2. Carmichael Gym needs technology upgrades

N.C. State prides itself in demonstrating “Innovation in Action.” We are a University of technology, creativity and efficiency. But our gym could use some upgrades.

Before I recommend my next small change, it’s important to emphasize that our gym is in the process of expanding to include more weight training facilities, additional cardio equipment rooms, and more. The only part about this expansion I regret is that I won’t be on campus next fall to use the new building I paid for over the years.

Once we debut our new gym addition, Student Government should challenge the administration of Carmichael Gym to consider investing in more technology. Students should be able to checkout iPods and mini-radios while they run. Students should also have access to TV in the weight rooms and cardio rooms to keep their minds off the monotonous strain of working out.

I’ll be the first to admit that this investment would require an increase in student fees; anyone who’s talked to me for five minutes knows that I loathe fee increases. However, fee increases that benefit a large number of students are better than wasted fees or fees that only benefit a few.

Let’s upgrade Carmichael Gym.

3. Students should vote on activity fees

There aren’t many positive points I can make about UNC-Chapel Hill, but I do like the power that is given to their students to make fee decisions.

At Chapel Hill, the Student Congress has the authority to place Student Activity Fee increases on a referendum for the student body to vote on. If students want to pay more for more services, they vote yes. If students are satisfied with their current services and wish to keep their money, they vote no. For the most part, what the students decide is what happens to the fee the following year.

Here, we should adopt this same system for the Student Government Fee and the Union Activities Fee. The Student Senate would make a recommendation for a fee increase based on responses from the student body and students could decide whether or not to approve of the increase.

In the end, you get more accountability from our student leaders and increased powers for the student body in decision making.

So, here’s to our new Student Senate and Student Body Presidents! Don’t forget to fix the small things.

E-mail Forrest some small things you want to see fixed at [email protected].