Topeka ? The classrooms are still crumbling. And there’s not enough money to fix them.

That was the assessment of a report released Thursday by the Legislative Division of Post-Audit. But the report – and the Kansas Board of Regents – still didn’t address how to pay for the $584 million in deferred maintenance identified on the six state university campuses.

The $7 million currently available annually pales in comparison with the $74 million needed annually for upkeep on buildings, the report said.

“I’m certainly not advocating a tax increase, but it sounds to me like that number needs to be adjusted, or we’re going to be looking at a major injection of funds,” said Sen. Les Donovan, R-Wichita.

The “crumbling classrooms” project of the 1990s pumped $178.6 million into university building and infrastructure maintenance, including $45.5 million at Kansas University’s Lawrence campus and $10.4 million at the KU Medical Center.

The initiative was funded through bonds, which are being paid off by the educational building fund, a 1-mill statewide property tax.

While the crumbling classrooms project provided one-time maintenance assistance, it actually decreased the amount of ongoing maintenance money available to campuses until the bonds are paid off, according to the report’s authors.

• J-W Editorial: Deferred expense (01-12-05)
• Regents will ask for maintenance reforms (06-25-04)
• KU faces $100 million backlog in maintenance, director says (06-10-05)

“It’s important to point out the crumbling classrooms project did not provide brand new money,” said Katrin Osterhaus, who wrote the report.

Also, the initiative added some new building space – including the nursing building at the Medical Center and an addition to Murphy Hall – that added to the maintenance burden.

A study completed last year showed there is $584 million in deferred maintenance at the six state universities, and the amount could grow to $800 million by 2014. The list includes $95 million in repairs on buildings or utilities that have been deemed “critical.”

The study showed 134 of the 138 buildings that received crumbling classroom money have need for additional repairs.

At KU, the needs total $134.2 million at the Lawrence campus and $8.3 million at the Medical Center. Projects include roof replacements, utility tunnel upgrades, tuckpointing on buildings and fire code improvements.

“This audit essentially echoes what the board (of regents), many state legislators and the Joint Building Committee in particular have said for years – that a dangerous maintenance backlog exists on our state university campuses,” said Eric King, the regents’ director of facilities.

KU officials declined to comment on their deferred maintenance needs, saying they hadn’t seen the Post-Audit report.

Regents have discussed plans for funding the repairs but have come to no decisions. Possibilities include raising the 1-mill educational building fund levy and allowing local communities to have a sales tax for universities.

Frank Gaines, a regent from Hamilton, said the decision ultimately would be up to legislators.

“I think, from our perspective in the regents, we’re really trying to force the issue,” Gaines said.