The Student Association Finance Committee approved four budget requests Tuesday night, totaling more than $3,200.

The Minority Graduate Student Association’s request for $1,384.55, which includes a variety of different items, was approved with a vote of 7-0 with one abstention.

SA Treasurer Lisa Schlepp said $747 was approved for four members to attend a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Forum in Chicago. The funding also included hotel accommodations and car rental, Schlepp said.

Brenda Morgan, president for the minority association, said the GRE is an examination all students must complete before they are admitted to graduate school. She said, “Most students are not aware of the test.”

Morgan said two graduate students and two undergraduate students would attend the forum and explain to interested NIU students what is expected of them for the GRE.

In addition, the Minority Association’s request included $185.75 for advertisements, $6.60 for postage, $37.50 for bookstore purchases, $89.70 for office supplies, $312 for a nine month telecommunication service and $6 for printing of fliers.

Another request from ALPHA: Friends of Antiquity for $1,291.55 was unanimously approved. The request included $162 for advertisement, $177 for postage, $176 for 25 posters and 16 lectures and $166.55 for office supplies.

In addition, ALPHA was approved $606 for two members to attend a National Archaeological Conference in New York City. Roger Beith, finance committee member, said only two members are able to attend the conference because the trip is expensive.

Beith said the members will meet with the conference speakers and decide if ALPHA would be interested in inviting them to NIU in the next few years.

Also, the History Club requested $317.99 but was granted $274.95. The amended request was approved 9-1, which included $162 for advertisement, $112.95 for printing of fliers. The club also requested $26.04 to take a trip to Chicago’s historical museums.

Schlepp said the club was denied the $26.04 because the club’s travel needs could be handled through the Campus Activities Board.

A final request from the Hearing Impaired Teachers in Training for $263 was unanimously approved. The funding included $35 for office supplies, $20 for printing of fliers and $108 to rent two university vans so the members can attend a convention for the deaf in Wisconsin.