OUSU has voted unanimously to back the student union’s budget for the academic year 2014-15. The motion for OUSU Council to recommend the budget was proposed by OUSU President Tom Rutland and seconded by St Anne’s JCR President Christina Toenshoff. Council asked several questions about the budget to OUSU President Tom Rutland, before it was passed without opposition.
The budget was compiled by the interim Chief Executive Officer, in consultation with the OUSU President and Vice-Presidents, as well as other OUSU trustees.
Prior to being put before OUSU Council the draft budget was also approved by the Budget Sub-Committee of the Finance Committee of the OUSU Trustee Board.
The budget for OUSU in 2014/15 will be £648,191, with OUSU’s subsidiary Oxford Student Services Limited (OSSL) possessing a budget of £277,470 for 2014/15, making a total of £925,661.
Spending on the OUSU website is set to double from £10,000 in the 2013/14 budget to £20,000 in 2014/1, while the amount allotted to publicity and marketing shall increase from £2,000 to £10,000.
OUSU campaigns will get a £100 increase in their budgets, including two new campaigns ‘It Happens Here’ and ‘On Your Doorstep’.
Other budget items include £1,000 allocated to stationery; £2,000 allocated to office supplies and £2,000 allocated to telephone costs.
OUSU President Tom Rutland commented, “I’m very pleased that Council voted to recommend OUSU’s biggest budget ever yesterday. We’ve channelled more funding into the services student need the most – better academic representation and a Student Advice Service that can see more students more quickly – as well as increasing spending on our communication, which has been a longstanding issue for OUSU. I made increasing our block grant from the University the cornerstone of my manifesto when I ran back in Michaelmas 2012, so I’m glad I’ve been able to deliver that.”
