Four full-time officers of USI will propose the creation of a new full-time post of equality officer at the national student union's annual congress at the end of this month.

The welfare officer, the women's rights officer (WRO), the lesbian, gay and bisexual officer (LGBO) and the southern area convenor will propose that the union's constitution be amended to allow for the creation of the paid position of equality officer.

This officer would work in tandem with the WRO and LGBO, whose positions were downgraded from full-time paid sabbatical positions to part-time posts at the last congress.

As a result of the decision at last year's congress, the present office holders of the women's and gay rights posts will be the last to be paid for their work.

The amendment envisages the new equality officer "carrying out all union policy on women's and minority rights" in conjunction with the part-time officers.

It does not seek to restore the position of WRO and LGBO to full-time status.

USI campaigns officer Ronan Emmet has said he will table a motion seeking the complete abolition of both women's and gay rights posts, along with other part-time posts relating to disability, the environment and the Irish language.

Welfare-sponsored motions before congress include a motion from the welfare working group calling on congress to extend the range of USI drug information leaflets "to include drugs such as cocaine, heroin and others" and "to revamp the range to reflect the changing attitudes of our members".

Congress will also debate a motion which recognises the Student Summer Job scheme as "on the whole acceptable to the students we represent . . . despite student leader opposition to the scheme".

However, the motion "notes with concern" the scheme's rate of pay, which has been set at £3 per hour since 1995, and the fact that the maximum number of hours a student can work on the scheme is limited to 200.

It also calls for the scheme to be extended to CERT and other groups of students.