Needed maintenance climbs to $727M / LJWorld.com

Archive for Thursday, November 16, 2006

Regents to push for budget to fix state university buildings; KU repairs total $209M

November 16, 2006

If you ignore the problem, it will only get bigger.

That's the message the Kansas Board of Regents is sending with its latest report indicating that the cost of building repairs at the state's six public universities has climbed by $143 million since 2004.

"Delay in addressing this issue is costly, and we need to step up and try to come to grips with it," said Regents President Reggie Robinson.

The Board of Regents will review a new "deferred maintenance" report at the board's meeting today in Topeka.

Dwindling financial support has caused buildings and classrooms on the university campuses to deteriorate.

At Kansas University, the repair list totals $209 million with another $76 million needed at KU Medical Center.

KU officials in recent months have given tours to the media and lawmakers, pointing to broken retaining walls, rusty lab spaces, warped ceiling tiles, uneven floors and crumbling sidewalks.

"It's getting more urgent," KU Provost Richard Lariviere said. "It's one of those things - if you don't fix the leak in the roof, the house starts falling apart."

A 2004 report found that the universities needed $584 million to address the list of needed repairs and $74 million was needed for annual facility maintenance. Two years later, the bottom line is $727 million, with $84 million needed for annual upkeep.

The bottom line figures have risen in part because the buildings have gotten older, construction costs have increased and more building space has been added to the list, according to the Regents.

Eric King, Regents facilities director, said the colleges have received about $15 million per year, a fraction of the $74 million that the Regents in 2004 said was needed for annual upkeep.

"That increases the backlog," he said. "You need to be spending $74 million or $84 million and you're only spending $15 million. The difference goes into the backlog because there are things that aren't getting done."

Last year, the Regents proposed a plan - squelched by the Legislature - to raise taxes to deal with the problem.

As a new legislative session nears, Regents are pressing their case again.

"Last year was an election year," Regent Donna Shank said. "We knew that nothing would happen last year, but we knew that we had to raise the issue and bring it forward. We are really hopeful that this year something might be done because (state) revenues look good and this is not an election year."

Shank said the biggest challenge is finding the funding to make repairs.

"The obstacle is always money," she said. "That is a huge amount of money, and there is no way that the state can just write a check to address that problem. It's going to take a long-term solution, and it's going to take additional revenue. And to find that kind of revenue is not going to be easy."

Discussion

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16 November 2006
at 6:21 a.m.

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Bone777 (Anonymous) says…

Sounds like an easier fix would be to put some shiny, new portable classrooms up.
16 November 2006
at 6:34 a.m.

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Solomon (Anonymous) says…

How about a combined approach? Place a surcharge on tuitition that would be ear-marked for maintenance, put a fraction of a cent onto the sales tax to go to the fund, and tax the pay of each employee of all the affected schools.
16 November 2006
at 7:51 a.m.

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consumer1 (Anonymous) says…

So the university is tattling on itself???? they do have a rather large maintenence staff, painters carpenters, concrete finishers, heating and air conditioning etc. So, why are the buildings in such dis-repair??? I have wondered for some time why THEY let the building fall apart when routine maint would go so far in preventing it???? anyone??? I think tuition is getting out of hand. These are supposed to be the teachers of the leaders of tomorrow. When ever they over spend in one area, they just raise tuition. Is that good business????
16 November 2006
at 8:28 a.m.

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not_dolph (Anonymous) says…

Tours, Reports, Discussion…so what is the plan for the fix Board of Regents? The whine and cheese party doesn't seem to be working to well.
16 November 2006
at 9:23 a.m.

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oldgoof (Anonymous) says…

not_dolph: they will just hire a bunch of pricey lobbyists in Topeka, no doubt. Don't you think?
16 November 2006
at 9:38 a.m.

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roger_o_thornhill (Anonymous) says…

The wrong people get the money. Its always the way. Certain jobs are decided to be more important—and therefore worth more than others. Many jobs that really aren't. Part of the curse of the commodification of post-secondary education is that all the college educated folks have to invent jobs for themselves that may or may not be worth it or even necessary. Bunch of damn middle men. Overpriced “leadership”. Sick bureaucracy. Wrong priorities. Ineffective use of “human capital” inherent in institutes of “higher” education.
16 November 2006
at 3:46 p.m.

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Defender (Anonymous) says…

“put a fraction of a cent onto the sales tax to go to the fund”

Bullcrap. I shouldn't have to fund your education, only mine. I pay enough taxes as it is.

17 November 2006
at 4:06 p.m.

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livingstone (Anonymous) says…

KU gets its money from

State: $240 millions
Tuition: $120 millions
Research/Grants: $220 millions
Endowments/Donations: $100+ millions
Others: Less than $60 millions

So guys, those who complaints about tuition hike… stop thinking about complaining, the faculties at KU worked harder to make education cheaper for you (you only contribute $120 millions, and the rest comes from elsewhere). While all Kansas students pay in-state tuition, I wonder if the state subsidizes that fee.
17 November 2006
at 4:44 p.m.

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not_dolph (Anonymous) says…

livingstones - dids you buys your dictionarys from Walmarts or Targets?
18 November 2006
at 12:29 p.m.

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livingstone (Anonymous) says…

not_dolph, I think you can get free spell check on dictionary.com….. cheers
18 November 2006
at 12:41 p.m.

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Godot (Anonymous) says…

livingstone, how much does the KU Athletic Corp contribute to the KU budget?
18 November 2006
at 2:03 p.m.

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livingstone (Anonymous) says…

Godot,

I do not know the actual figure, but as far as I know, not much. However, we cannot forget that it's self-funded, i.e. none of the student tuitions go into the corp, none of the faculties contribute their salary to the program (unlike some schools where their staffs and faculties supposed to put in some monies, and part of their tuition goes into the program).

The Athletic program is very important to KU, just like other big name schools. It brings the meanings to our Alums of belonging to a school. Their contributions to KU, like all other major Universities around this nation (Harvard, Texas, Stanford, Michigan, GIT), through endowment is what makes KU academically competitive. Jayhawk footballs and basketball have attracted many KU alums and make them feel more Jayhawks. This is the reason why sports are making huge waves in almost any schools.

When we have great football and basketball teams, I don't think our alums want to see great stadium, but worn out departmental buildings.
18 November 2006
at 2:15 p.m.

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Godot (Anonymous) says…

livingstone, I thought that coach base salaries and retirement benefits were funded by KU.

If the KU Athletic Corp does not provide significant financial support to KU, then I see no reason for the corporation to be tax exempt.