More than $17,800 was approved Sunday for four organizations’ 1987-88 budget requests by the Student Association senate.

A majority of the Residence Hall Association’s $14,924.40 budget was approved for events related to Black History Month and for various educational and social activities totalling $12,080.

The RHA also received $1,764.40 so some members could travel to three different conventions for state and national residence hall associations. In addition, $50 was allotted for postage and $350 for printing of fliers.

Al Clemens, RHA president, said the organization offers sports events and dances as well as educational programs, such as Black History Month. Also, the RHA exists to protect the rights of students living in the halls who are being infringed upon, he said.

Before approving $1,386.12 for the Gay/Lesbian Union’s budget, there was extensive conversation between senators about whether the SA should fund $92.40 for mailings of a GLU newsletter. The newsletter is mailed to other organizations and, in return, the GLU receives other newsletters free of charge, GLU co-President Paul Schmig said.

“It (the newsletter) keeps us in touch with what other student organizations are doing in the Midwest,” he said.

Sen. Michael Stumpf said he opposed funding the postage because it will prompt other organizations to ask for funding to mail their newsletters. “If we give funding to one organization we will have to give it to all,” he said.

Sen. Tom DeVaux, who supported the newsletter mailings, said “there is a definite advantage” because the GLU will then get other newsletters free. SA Welfare Adviser Jim Fabris said, “The mailings would build the political power of NIU” and help build contacts outside the university.

The GLU received the $92.40 for postage along with $664.30 for magazine subscriptions, membership fees and advertisements, $30 for office supplies and $129.50 for printing of newsletters and stationery.

The rest of the funding went to a $307.92 phone bill and $141.40 to attend a conference at Northwestern. A request for $500 to purchase a new typewriter was denied by the senate.

The Northern Illinois Art History Society received $131.87, of which $215.46 will be used to cover travel expenses to museums in Indiana and Wisconsin. The society also received $66.40 for ads, $32.21 for office supplies, $29.68 for printing of fliers, $15 for phone service and $13.20 for postage. With the subtraction of $240 in revenue, the society’s total budget was approved at $131.87.

In addition, the Art History Society sponsors about 10 speakers from on and off campus and allows students to discuss their research, Shery Wittstock, society representative, said. Also, the society keeps everyone up to date on events in the Midwest, she said.

The service organization and support group Brothers, which tries to encourage students to reach graduation, received $774.30.

“Brothers was established in August 1982, and it serves as a support group,” said Anthony Lane, Brothers representative. The organization also does community service work, which includes visiting high schools to stress the importance of education, Lane said.

The organization received $15 for office supplies, $21.80 for printing of fliers, $5 for postage and $99.60 for ads and rental of the Holmes Student Center’s Ballroom and Skyroom. The Ballroom is required for the Brothers banquet, and the Skyroom is required for the tribute to black women.

The remainder of the group’s budget was $306 for hotel accommodations and travel expenses to a conference at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Also, $326.90 was for vehicle rental to attend the SIU conference and several other conferences in the Chicago area.