State policy-makers tour Emporia State, witness need for repairs
8:08 p.m. Wednesday, October 11, 2006
From leaky roofs to shifting foundations, buildings at State universities across Kansas are in need of some major repairs.
State policy-makers toured Emporia State University Wednesday. They wanted to see firsthand the maintenance backlog for which the University is requesting funding. The tour began in the Student Union, where the outdated heating and cooling system makes it tough to regulate temperatures throughout the building. "In order to keep the temperature in the mail room comfortable, the folks in the library for the blind and the computer lab are either really hot or really cold, depending on the season," says Dave Hendricks, associate director of operations for ESU.
In the library, hidden behind the rows of books, is the mechanical room. The electrical panels are so old that replacement parts aren't available. "We're living on borrowed time with the electrical system," says Hendricks. The system wasn't designed to handle the high technology needs of today's students. "A library designed in 1950 obviously does not meet he needs of a library in the 21st century," says Mark Runge, director of University facilities.
At Butcher Hall, the 1950's style windows are rusted out, and on the inside, the situation isn't any better. "We have problems with the sewer lines. I apologize for the smell," says Runge.
The maintenance issues are all over the campus. At Roosevelt Hall, the shifting foundation is causing the walls to crack. A classroom roof is in need of a complete overhaul. "The roof is so bad we're afraid to touch it. It might start leaking."
The tour was a chance for University officials to show policy-makers the real needs of the University. And as State Representative Don Hill explained, it was a worthwhile experience. "We've seen numbers, we've seen pictures, but to see examples of this up close, the way we've had the opportunity to, it's very useful," says Hill.
Lawmakers and Board of Regents members have been traveling to universities across the state for the past couple of weeks. They still have a few more to go and will be at the University of Kansas in Lawrence in early November.
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