Salient

VUWSA tightens the screws; budgeting crisis averted

By Tristan Egarr | 25 Feb, 2008

Following three weeks of trimming and scrimping, the VUWSA Exec passed its 2008 budget with a $17,000 surplus.

Initially, the Exec faced a $180,000 deficit after adding up the costs of campaigns, activities, clubs and staff wages. Administration Vice-President Alexander Neilson told Salient that the initial projected blowout was due to a large wage increase for permanent staff in 2007, forced upon them by the increasing cost of living in Wellington, especially in the price of rental accommodation.

To deal with the excess, the Exec was forced to freeze the level of activities funding, although a slight rise in clubs funding was necessary due to an increase in the number of inter-varsity sports tournaments.

One major project put on hold is the restructuring of the Education and Welfare offices. Education Vice President Rev. Paul Danger Brown said that the Education Co-ordinator’s role had become overloaded, having to split their time between offering support for students and attending university committee meetings to lobby on these students’ behalf.

VUWSA has suggested the introduction of an assistant co-ordinator role to share the workload, and also to assist the Welfare Vice President — a role that has been held by four different people in the last two years. Brown says the Education Office also needs to be expanded so that more effort can be put into expanding the class rep system.

However, these Education Office plans were only presented on the day of budget setting. They have been put on hold pending a review conducted with the help of VUWSA Trust, who are considering supporting the new position.