The university has allocated $70,000 towards a bar servery area that will sell alcohol from noon at the University Union food court if approved.
The plan has been labelled an "extraordinary" concern by University of Otago (Christchurch) psychiatry and addiction medicine professor Douglas Sellman.
"Increased accessibility to alcohol has been clearly shown to increase alcohol-related harm," Prof Sellman said.
He questioned why the learning institution would want to make it easier for students to get alcohol during the day.
"Alcohol is a drug that erodes cognition."
However, he sympathised with the university in the struggle against alcohol-related harm to students.
The real solution was stronger national regulations on such things as the marketing, cost and accessibility of alcohol, he said.
Campus and collegiate life services director James Lindsay said the proposed space would
be well supervised, and behaviour monitored with measures such as refusal of entry and refusal of service.
"As with our other licensed operations, we comply with the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act," Mr Lindsay said.
"This new space is strongly focused on being a social venue in the heart of the campus with food and refreshments including alcohol — it is not a public bar, or a ‘bring your own’ common space," Mr Lindsay said.
The design was awaiting resource and building consents.
If the consents were granted, construction will take place during the break between the 2022 and 2023 academic years.
"A range of beverages including alcohol will be available from midday onwards."
However, Mr Lindsay said he did not expect many alcohol sales would be made until later in the day.
The design for the area also included couches, chairs and plants to break up the wide open space and create a "multi-use social area".
"Students can read or catch up, with a non-alcoholic or alcoholic drink, or food."
It could also be a space to hold student events such as quizzes or watching live sports, he said.
The area would open from mid-morning into the early evening.
Because of this he did not expect it to affect the University-owned U bar, which opened its doors at 9pm.
Otago University Students' Association president Melissa Lama said the association was not aware of the specifics of the plan.
She did not answer questions from the Otago Daily Times about the demand for more social spaces, or whether the possible increased access to alcohol was a concern.
"[We] will engage further with the university on the subject," she said.
After buying it in 2018, the association decided last year not to re-open Starters Bar in Frederick St, due to health and safety concerns around the building.
