The 23 undergraduate halls, one graduate hall and three apartment villages at MSU have racked up a hefty yearly maintenance bill.
The university has spent about $11.5 million a year during the last 10 years to maintain the nation's largest residence hall system. Upping the ante, MSU now plans to increase funding to residence hall upkeep by $4 million per year during the next five to 10 years.
It's nice to see the university is keeping students in mind, but with Gov. Jennifer Granholm calling for a $30 million funding cut to higher education and campus colleges being restructured, it's unclear whether this really is money that needs to be spent.
The university says it will use this money for major renovation projects in four dorms, to create a residential college in Snyder and Phillips halls, and to update elevators and heating and ventilation systems.
MSU hopes to complete all this within 10 years, but it seems likely it could be accomplished in a more staggered period of time without the extra $4 million a year. With millions of state dollars possibly being cut from MSU Cooperative Extension Service and Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, MSU should support its number one priority - academics - over other concerns.
This isn't to say housing issues aren't important. If academics are number one, then housing is two. MSU says $15 million is a "realistic" figure to provide students with an up-to-date environment to live in.
To give the university some credit, so far it has made good choices. It was recently the highest-ranked Big Ten public university in U.S. News & World Report's 2005 listing of "Great Schools, Great Prices" feature. That shows dedication to making attending MSU not only an affordable, but worthwhile experience.
MSU also made a wise decision to spend $12 million in 2002 to renovate the aging Shaw Hall. Accomplished within 16 months, the quick work only kept the hall out of commission for one academic year. Enormous waiting lists to get a room proved students were excited about up-to-date housing, though whirlpool-style bath tubs were a questionable addition.
Another, smaller point of interest is that none of this extra money is earmarked for renovating Cowles House, the university president's home. In fact, the building only has seen one major renovation in the last five years for a public and events space. So, you know the MSU Board of Trustees isn't blowing limited funding - President Lou Anna K. Simon doesn't even live there.
All in all, the additional money spent on updates might be a great idea. MSU just better make sure it has the money to cover first base before it tries to steal second.
