The California State University system’s Board of Trusteesapproved a 30 percent increase in registration fees in July, muchto the annoyance of CSU students.

While it’s not completely clear yet just where the cash will go,some will end up at Sacramento State. And while the situation isfar from ideal – in fact, it’s downright infuriating – students canstill get at least some of their money back through their use ofschool services. When you’re paying nearly $1,500 a semester inregistration fees as an undergraduate student, you might as welltake advantage.

In terms of one’s future, a few offices can help chart uncertainplans.

The Career Center, in Lassen Hall, Room 2000, offers informationon internships and job openings. The center is devoted to helpingstudents figure out what theywant to be or do after graduation. Onehelpful service the center provides is mock interviews. A studentcan rehearse a serious career interview so they can be betterprepared when looking for that first big post-college position.

The next mock interview dates will be Sept. 24-25. On October1-2, the Career Center will organize the Fall Career Fair in theUniversity Union. The career fair will give students theopportunity to meet with potential employers and make future careercontacts.

If you can’t attend the Career Fair, though, you can still learnabout potential jobs and internships through the Career Center byjust going into their main office.

Academic Advising, which is housed in Lassen 1012, can be amajor help when it comes to making sure that one’s units are inorder for graduation requirements.

Not checking in with a counselor often about your schedule couldmean extra semesters at Sac State, and who wants that when tuitionis rising? Many students find themselves a class or two short attheir expected date of graduation, and have to stay on through yetanother semester or special session, so make sure you’re on trackto graduate.

In the student health center, students can save a lot of moneyby investing in the Augmented Health Plan.

While this plan does cost an additional $20 each semester, itprovides many medical services – plus three therapeutic massages -for free.

And even without the augmented health plan, the services at thehealth center don’t put as much of a strain on your wallet as otherclinics and hospitals in the Sacramento.

ASI can help students out with discounts and free legal aid.Students, staff and alumni can take advantage of a discount at theAquatic Center at Lake Natoma in Rancho Cordova.

ASI also offers discount movie tickets. Students can buy movietickets for any UA theater, regardless of the time of the show, for$6 at the ASI Business Office. The only restriction is that yourmovie of choice must have been out for at least ten days. Studentscan also purchase tickets for films playing at the Crest theater,for just $5.25 each.

Students can get free legal aid (with restrictions) through ASI.A lawyer is available once a week for half-hour appointments.Interested students can schedule a meeting through ASI StudentServices.

Free entertainment is a key part of the appeal of UNIQUE, aUniversity Union program which offers (mostly) free concerts andmovie screenings on campus.

Nearly every Wednesday, UNIQUE brings free concerts to Sac Statestudents in Serna Plaza. About twice a month, UNIQUE also hostsfree student screenings of recent movies. The next film shown willbe “X2: X-Men United” on Sept. 25.

October will bring three major summer blockbusters to CSUS withscreenings of “Finding Nemo,” “The Matrix Reloaded” and “Pirates ofthe Caribbean.” In addition to films and noon concerts, UNIQUE alsoorganizes cultural events.

The CSU system’s administrators have made the occasional mistake- a certain $660 million computer system debacle comes to mind -and students no doubt consider the fee hike to be a major misfire.But just as the Board of Trustees seems to be taking advantage ofstudents’ wallets, we can take advantage of free services oncampus.

Come on – you know you want to.