The Otago University Students' Association plans to employ a full-time ''queer support co-ordinator'' and set aside funding for a ''refined'' Hyde St keg party next year.
The initiatives are among changes in the association's draft 2014 budget, on which students vote as part of executive elections. These will begin at the end of this month.
After two years of no income increases, OUSA had reached an agreement for a ''small increase'' in funding from the university for next year,
subject to university council approval. But it failed in its bid for a ''multi-year'' funding agreement. It was forecasting a surplus of $170,364, and an income of $3,365,939, with expenses of $3,195,575.
The budget draft has for the first time included a separate budgeted amount for the Hyde St keg party.
The budget for the party - if OUSA was again asked by residents to be involved in the event - would be $12,000 and a few ''refinements'' would be integrated.
''Refinements include better wrist-banding [to identify partygoers] and fencing, and contributions are planned to be $5 and $10 rather than $2 and $5 for invited and general admission, respectively,'' the draft budget said.
Other changes included increasing the number of ''events'' staff from three to four and employing a full-time ''queer support co-ordinator''.
OUSA president Francisco Hernandez said the extra events staff member was needed to keep pace with the level of events the association was now running and the extra capacity which came with running them at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Having a full-time ''queer support co-ordinator'' would make the OUSA queer support centre more effective, he said.
The budget estimated OUSA services as costing $169.84 per student, which Mr Hernandez called ''absolutely'' good value.
OUSA released its renovations budget, showing a more than $2 million Recreation Centre (formerly the Clubs and Socs building) upgrade -- was delayed due to resource consent issues.
The final budget agreed by OUSA's executive was $2,236,561, up from an initial budget of $2,085,703.
Mr Hernandez said part of the reason the budget for the upgrade had increased was because it had to meet new fire regulations.
Construction is set to begin next month and be completed by February.
