Guest editorial: Husky Stadium should be replaced now

The legislative debate, widespread discussion and controversy regarding proposed funding plans to repair or replace parts of University of Washington Husky Stadium has finally brought to public attention a fundamental challenge facing the highest levels of leadership at Washington’s flagship educational institution. How do you build the “University of Tomorrow” on the crumbling foundation of last century’s infrastructure?

The need for decisive action on the problems at the stadium has been made clear by a UW committee headed by the highly respected former UW regent and state Gov. Dan Evans. The necessity for improvements suggested for bringing the stadium up to date and more in line with facilities at other top-tier institutions may remain open to debate. But the need for immediate correction of the health and safety issues cited does not.

The University’s renovation proposal cites collapsed stairways, sagging foundations and a lack of disability access (according to American Disability Act provisions). Others have noted rusted flooring, broken concrete with exposed re-bar, lead paint and “wiring that is in violation of every building code imaginable.”

Sen. Margarita Prentice (D-Renton) chair of the state Senate Ways and Means Committee, summed it up nicely: “This is a serious safety issue. This is a serious liability issue. These are our buildings and we must renovate them and make them safe.”

But aside from a solution for funding, another question that is being asked on news sites and blogs that needs to be addressed is, How did this come to be, and what about all the other buildings on campus?

In addition to its Seattle campus, the UW has a multitude of other facilities throughout the state, including the Tacoma and Bothell campuses, Harborview, and other research, storage and public outreach sites. It is responsible for tens of millions of square feet of building space where students, faculty, staff and the public can reasonably expect to live and work safely.

High profile sites like Husky Stadium or Gould Hall, site of a tragic shooting in 2007, should be guaranteed the necessary attention and funding to solve problems. And the UW has a very commendable “Restore the Core” program to systematically restore and upgrade the buildings in the Seattle campus’s historic core. But what about the hundreds of other workplaces, living spaces, classrooms and labs? At this point the UW does not have a clear and comprehensive plan.

Facilities management at the UW tends to rely on the concept of “deferred maintenance.” The idea is that as expensive problems emerge, solutions are scheduled for budgets two or three biennial cycles away. Unfortunately, 10 years of deferred maintenance at Husky Stadium has only resulted in far greater expected expenditures.

Last year, the UW celebrated a highly publicized increase in funding under the 2007-2009 state biennial budget. Items included increased enrollment and expansion of programs as well as new construction. Meanwhile funding for maintenance was quietly cut. Preventive maintenance programs have been de-emphasized, and the quality of general maintenance is at risk.

Housing and Food Services has increased the number of students in the dorms by putting changing double occupancy rooms to triple occupancy rooms, and multiplied the number of locations for snack bars and coffee shops. The areas of responsibility for facilities workers have increased considerably. The number of workers who keep these areas clean, safe and functional has remained static. Further, as wages for many workers have lagged behind expectations, it becomes harder to retain and attract skilled, trained and licensed workers in many fields. Often as older workers move toward retirement, there are no new younger workers for them to train.

Deferred maintenance may at one time have been a reasonable approach to solving certain budgetary issues. But the time of boom economics and large revenue streams are long past.

Our state faces dramatic challenges. All of our agencies feel the pinch and the public feels “taxed out.” But our infrastructure is a priority statewide, and it is an issue that can no longer be neglected. Our ports, ferries, highways, bridges, schools, hospitals and prisons all face the same challenges.

As we begin to plan for our next budget cycle, it is imperative that those leading the UW pay careful attention to this important issue. The need to build new facilities and restore and preserve the historic core of the University is obvious. But we must also make sure that we can provide the highest level of maintenance for the facilities we do have — historic or not. Only then can we provide the safe, clean, and healthy environment for discovery that will help make the UW one of the premier institutions of the 21st century.