Kate Olesin

For a campus that’s been around since 1863, UMass Amherst wears her years well. But lately she’s been injecting Botox into her wrinkles.

A new campus report assessed the need for an additional $833 million to invest in facilities over the next five years. According to the report, an extra $524 million is needed for the following five years and $347 million is needed after 10 years.

“[Having the money] makes UMass more competitive for good students and good faculty. We’ll be more competitive for grants and part of an engine of success and improvement,” said Robert Francis, the assistant vice chancellor for facilities and campus services.

Francis, Joyce Hatch, vice chancellor of administration and finance, James Cahill, director of facilities and campus planning, and other UMass leaders have all been instrumental in analyzing data for the report.

Not only must building needs be addressed and allotted funds, but infrastructure maintenance requires more money too – $74 million over the next 10 years.

Infrastructure includes, but is not limited to, roadwork, athletic field maintenance, work on steam lines and electrical distribution systems.

The total assessment amount addressing campus needs over the next 10 years comes to $1.8 billion. However, according to Francis, the assessment does not include auxiliary needs, like dining hall, residence hall and campus center maintenance.

New sources of funding will be needed to meet these requirements. The report is the latest piece of evidence as UMass leaders push for a higher education bond bill to keep the University on its current path of growth.

“It seems [like a lot of money] but if you look at the replacement value of all the buildings on campus, it’s just a down payment,” Francis said.

UMass’s current plan is $790 million. Eighty-seven percent is funded by the campus, while the remaining 13 percent comes from the state.

According to Francis, Governor Patrick just published a five-year capital plan for the state – with a $5 billion section dedicated to higher education. The cut for UMass would help some of the University’s money woes.

As UMass decides which buildings stay and which go, the report placed buildings into one of six categories from “keep and maintain” to “dispose and replace.” The average age of a building on campus is 42 years; anything older than that is in need of replacement or renovation. Nine structures, including (Old) Chenoweth Laboratory, Cold Storage Building, French Greenhouse, Hills House, South College, and the Student Union Building, were deemed in need of demolition and replacement.

“In the case of the Student Union, which was built around 1950, it was built for a student body of 12,000,” said Francis. “The building no longer meets the needs of the student body and the cost of doing anything to it is more expensive. It’s cheaper to replace.”

Meeting the needs of the student body means that “the quality of student life depends on having adequate space for student activities, clubs, meetings and assemblies,” according to the report.

To draw prestigious faculty to the campus, Francis said it is imperative that UMass keeps up with the times.

“Morrill and Lederle are in the process of trying to rebuild their faculty,” he said. “To do this, they need laboratories and classrooms suitable for modern technology.”

The new Building and Condition Report also outlines historic or “legacy” buildings on campus.

Currently, legacy buildings, such as the Old Chapel, are only maintained on the exterior. Francis said that UMass waits for a donor to give money for renovation of historic structures on campus.

The original campus was built in three places: the Chestnut Hill area (Munson to South College), East Ridge (Fernald to Clark and Wilder halls) and Ellis Drive area (Flint to West Experimental Station).

Effects of the current construction and renovation program have been evident throughout campus. “New Dirt” signs and construction vehicles are everywhere and campus has had ongoing construction during the summer.

According to Francis, last year the University spent about $200 million on new construction and repair projects.

“Because of the completion of the power plant and Skinner and the continued work on the Integrated Science Building, the number will drop,” Francis said.

The renovated Berkshire Dining Commons, the North Apartments and the Marriott Center for Hospitality Management are some of the newest additions UMass offered students last year. New construction projects include the Studio Arts Building, Integrated Science Building, Central Heating Plant and renovation of Skinner Hall.

For more information or to download the report, visit www.umass.edu/fcp.