Finance, Operations and Administration

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What is deferred maintenance? Deferred maintenance is an industry term that refers to the practice of postponing building and system upkeep due to lack of funds. For example, when we construct new buildings or facilities, we may get funding from the state or from a donor to build it, but then it is up to the to university to maintain it. The state does provide funds annually for this purpose, but, with a campus as large and unique as UC Davis, that support does not usually cover the wide range of work needed.

Our campus is unique. It spans 5,300 acres, is home to almost 1,000 buildings and 130 miles of infrastructure that serve more than 36,000 students – nearly 25,000 from California. Many of our buildings and much our original infrastructure are over 50 years old. While we have done an incredible job prolonging the life of many building systems and facilities, UC Davis faces the most significant deferred maintenance challenge in the UC system with a $1 billion backlog. 

This site was created to share how UC Davis is currently tackling its most critical deferred maintenance needs. While the projects found here address less than 10% of our backlog, our teams from Design and Construction Management, Facilities Management and Campus Planning are working strategically to ensure that we capitalize on opportunities to deliver multiple benefits for less total budget. 

Learn more. Download the UC Davis deferred maintenance project plan.