BSU, recycle station receive OK for funds

By Tammy Sholer

Two Student Association recognized organizations were approved funding for next year by the SA Finance Committee Tuesday night, which totalled about $17,000.

The first request from the Student Association Recycling Station for $7,336.66 was unanimously approved. The recycling station requested $13,496 to pay four executive position salaries and to pay drivers to pick up the recyclable materials.

In addition, $3,715.75 was approved for, among other items, advertisements and glass collection by DeKalb County Disposal. Also approved were $15 for postage, $47.50 for posters and fliers and telecommunications costs of $308.16.

The recycling station also requested $141 to take a conference trip, $35.50 for safety goggles, work gloves and supply costs and $3,240 for truck rental at $270 per month for one year. This budget has a revenue figure of $14,144 for the entire year, which is subtracted from the budget.

Sandy Delaney, director for the Recycling Station, said, “The recycling station started in 1976 as a spin off of Earth Day that was sponsored by NIU.” The station was relocated last summer from under the water tower to the west side of Stevenson Towers South, she said.

Delany said the station will be accepting plastics, which she believes is a “real service” because plastics are not biodegradable. Another service provided by the station is “curb-side pick-up,” for which the station collects newspapers from the curbs in the DeKalb community. She said they collect about 20 tons of paper a day.

The station also is a restitution site for students who must serve punishments to NIU. The students supply extra manpower, Delaney said. Also, when other organizations help collect newspapers, they receive a percentage of the day’s profits (about $200) said Ryan Powers, Recycling Station’s assistant director. There also is a drop-off at STS that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Delaney said.

“Since July 1986, the recycling station has recycled 127 tons of newspaper, 32 tons of glass, 18.5 tons of computer paper and .32 tons of aluminum,” Delaney said.

The next budget request from the Black Student Union for $9,614.90 also was approved unanimously. The BSU requested $500.80 for advertisements, membership fees, and magazine subscriptions.

In addition, the union requested funds for postage costing $121.80, office supplies and photograph supplies costing $5,793, printing of fliers costing $71.90 and a production light table costing $285.

Also, the BSU was granted funds to attend four conferences, including the Association for Study of Afro-American Life in Houston costing $1,182, the Illinois Council for Black Studies in Chicago costing $101.40, as well as the Midwestern Black Student Leadership Council in Bloomington costing $284.08.

The final conference, to be held in New York City at a cost of $1,006, is the National Council of Black Studies. Funds for all the conferences cover travel, hotel accommodations and registration fees.

Pam Bozeman, BSU president, said, “The BSU acts on matters that affect black and minority students on campus.” The students learn about their history and their culture, she said.

“The BSU is an umbrella organization which houses serveral other organizations,” Bozeman said. Gwendolyn Lumford, finance committee member, said there are about 980 black members and about 380 Latinos in the organization.

The BSU publishes a student newspaper, “Lifeline,” which is sent to other universities and students, Bozeman said. She said with the light table the production cost of Lifeline will decrease, because members will be able to graph the newspaper themselves.

In the future, Bozeman said she hopes the BSU will acquire more equipment, to develop their own photo lab to further decrease the cost and save time.