Kansas Board of Regents allocates federal funding for deferred maintenance

KU allotted $2M+, KU Medical Center $868,000

The Kansas Board of Regents recently announced that the state’s six universities will receive $7.7 million from the higher education portion of the Federal State Fiscal Stabilization Fund for Fiscal Year 2009. The board allocated 100 percent of the available current-year funding to 16 critical deferred maintenance projects on state university campuses.

KU will receive $2,073,228 for campus fire code improvements, roof repair and replacement, electrical service improvements, research laboratory improvements, ADA improvements, site and utility infrastructure improvements and Dyche Hall heating, ventilation and air conditioning Improvements.

The KU Medical Center will receive $868,024 for infrastructure improvements, elevator repairs and roof repair and replacement.

“These federal dollars, which were allocated to the states as part of the American Recovery Act of 2009, provide an important opportunity for campuses to address critical maintenance needs. This vital work both stimulates the local economy and improves the learning environment for students,” said Reginald L. Robinson, president and CEO of the Kansas Board of Regents. “We are pleased to have the opportunity to use these one-time funds for critical projects, and we look forward to improving the infrastructure on our campuses as a result of this investment.”

The funds address about 1 percent of the $825 million state university deferred maintenance backlog.

In a recent study, the Docking Institute of Public Affairs noted that every $1 million spent on university deferred maintenance projects generates an economic impact of $2.2 million in increased economic output of goods and services, $644,500 in increased state earnings and 19 new jobs created in Kansas.

In 2007, the Legislature approved and the governor signed into law a five-year maintenance funding plan which was to provide $90 million in direct state funds and approximately $44 million in retained interest earnings to the six state universities. In addition, the legislation provided state-funded tax credits intended to generate up to $158 million in private contributions to the state universities, Washburn University and the community and technical colleges. An additional $100 million in interest-free bonding authority was made available to Washburn University and the community and technical colleges.

For the state universities, the five-year plan, if fully funded would have addressed approximately 31 percent of the $825 million maintenance backlog that exists among the 442 state-owned “mission critical” academic buildings. However, the 2009 Legislature reduced the state appropriation by $1.3 million, and additional reductions will occur due to reduced interest earnings.

Since the passage of the 5-year plan, the Legislature’s Joint Committee on State Building Construction has approved 91 state university maintenance projects. To date, 37 projects have been initiated, of which 10 have been completed, while 27 are under way.

In January the board issued an updated report indicating that the maintenance backlog on the state university campuses had grown to $825 million.