New report says MU has more than $700 million in facilities needs

A new report from the Missouri Department of Higher Education says the University of Missouri has more than $700 million in facilities needs.

The report also says more than 40 percent of education and general buildings on MU’s campus have not been renovated in 50 years.

MU spokesperson Christian Basi said the university revamped it’s renovation strategy back in 2009 and adopted the Mizzou Stewardship Model.

Under that model, Basi said Mizzou officials decide which buildings should be completely renovated or removed instead of simply spending money on small repairs.

“What smaller problems can we live with, and what’s a building that’s in so bad of shape that we’re going to take all the money that we would have used for the smaller problems and completely renovate that building,” Basi explained.

Basi said student success is key when considering renovations, and buildings need to be able to support the best technology. He said that’s why the university is building the more than $220 million Translational Precision Medicine Complex.

University officials say the model is working. Since 2009, MU says it has eliminated more than $56 million in deferred maintenance and added more than 400 classroom seats.

Despite the apparent success, money is still a big problem as the university’s deferred annual maintenance is growing at a rate of $33 million.

When asked where the money for repairs will come from, Basi replied, “That is always the question, and it’s a question of where do you put your priorities when you have the money.”

Here is a link to the full Missouri Department of Higher Education report.

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