Beyond the chief justice’s administration of the oaths of office for the president, vice president and new members of the Government of the Student Body Senate each year, the GSB Supreme Court does almost nothing.

This month, the court has a unique opportunity to make a ruling that could affect some students. Monday, now-former GSB President Jared Knight vetoed a bill passed by the GSB Senate at last Wednesday’s meeting. The bill would have funded a “Meet Your Government Day” at which students could eat with and meet and talk with members of GSB.

The problem with the veto (and reason for the case) is that since Knight vetoed it on Monday, the day the newly elected Senate was to be sworn in, the Senate that originally passed the bill did not have enough time to meet to potentially override the veto.

The scope of the case is small and the issue deals with some of the finer points of GSB procedure, but that the GSB Supreme Court should be doing something is important. An especially active court that always met would be a bad thing because that would mean that GSB is a litigious organization, but at the same time, holding the distinction of being a member of the GSB Supreme Court should not be a sinecure.

For the first time in three years, the GSB Supreme Court has issued an opinion and agreed to hear a case. Since voter turnout in GSB elections is dismally low (this year, less than 10 percent of the student body voted in the elections for GSB) and few students speak out about how their activity fees are being spent, it is safe to say that perhaps the biggest news here is that GSB even has a court — that it is not simply a legislative branch and an executive branch.

Having opportunities to improve their sphere of influence (or world) is a good thing. Although the dark side of such opportunities is that their world is less than perfect. Having such opportunities, however, is a good thing for everyone. Enjoying our adventures at Iowa State allows us to practice having an adventure at all, so that we are capable of making our adult, post-college worlds a good place.

Too often, we surrender to outside pressure to conform to outdated traditions that no longer serve a constructive purpose, do not question rules that have outlived their usefulness, and think that “respect” equates to unthinking acceptance of what other people have to say.

Conveniently, today is the annual First Amendment Day celebration at Iowa State (even though, like other constitutional provisions that acknowledge rights, first amendment day is every day). It is precisely through exercising our rights to act — and, in our political system, exercising the right to speak and converse and collaborate is most important — that we effect the kind of change that makes a difference.

GSB is a small pond. The GSB Supreme Court is an even smaller pond. But where improving the world is concerned, size does not matter. What matters is making an honest effort to improve the way in which we interact with one another and to improve the lives of the people around us.