Maintenance and repair of aging buildings at North Carolina universities require a budget of $6.4 billion

WRAL Investigates acquired a report showing that the cost of renovating all buildings within the UNC System and bringing them up to acceptable standards would be nearly $6.4 billion. This 2021 report is the most recent assessment of the condition of UNC buildings, a matter of growing concern for university administrators. Half of this budget would be spent on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University.

Founded in 1795 and opened its doors in 1887, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University has particularly substantial renovation needs. Specifically, NC State's buildings require over $1.4 billion in repairs, while the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's buildings, including health affiliates, necessitate over $2 billion in investments.

The report also evaluates the accessibility of campus square footage, with UNC at Chapel Hill at 99% and NC State at 83%. However, the University of North Carolina at Asheville lags behind, with only 14% of assignable square footage considered accessible. The above drops to 5.8% when focusing on instructional space. For this purpose, during a recent Board of Governors meeting, UNC System Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Haygood indicated that the group would receive an updated report on facility conditions in the spring.

It should be mentioned that some students, like UNC freshman Lorna Fowler, appreciate the charm of the older architecture but still find the situation shocking. Fellow UNC sophomore Tye Mendenhall shares this sentiment, noting the visible signs of deterioration in several buildings. The state of these campuses varies, with UNC at Chapel Hill, Fayetteville State, and UNC Pembroke singled out as institutions that require attention since they face numerous deferred maintenance issues.