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Deferred Maintenance Is Defined By Kaiser ( 2009 )

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The topic of this paper is the use of public-private partnerships to address deferred maintenance needs on campus. Deferred maintenance is defined by Kaiser (2009) as “maintenance work that has been deferred on a planned or unplanned basis to a future budget cycle or postponed until funds are available.” This backlog of maintenance to physical plant is an issue for nearly all public higher education institutions. Kaiser (1996) contends that deferred maintenance constitutes a genuine threat to higher education institutions and their ability to accomplish their mission. The deteriorating conditions of facilities can put universities at a disadvantage vis-à-vis other regional institutions in regard to attracting and retaining students, …show more content…

Several years of delays in repairs has led to deterioration in some campus buildings that has caused permanent damage. In assessing the best way to address the issues with maintenance, it has been determined that the most cost effective and efficient way to proceed is through reconstruction since the cost of repairs will add up to be about equivalent to the cost to rebuild some structures. Considering that the institution has suffered financial losses over the years in other areas due to deferred maintenance, this change is relevant because it has the ability to save the university money over a long period of time. In addition, it puts the institution in a position where it can be aesthetically and operationally competitive with its opposition.
As a means to make a incremental changes, while also being intentional about the campus’ scheduled maintenance plan, it has been decided that ten buildings will be contracted out to a building maintenance company every five years. The objective of this plan is to relieve the institution of the financial responsibilities of small and large building maintenance projects and avoid the liabilities associated with maintenance of campus buildings temporarily. This allows the institution to fully focus efforts on developing curriculum and contributing the students experience in other ways.
After a period of twenty years in which the buildings are managed by the contracted maintenance company, the institution will resume

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