Fallen Concrete Slab from UW Building Illustrates Why Proactive Maintenance is a Must

A concrete slab recently fell off the University of Wisconsin’s system headquarters building further illustrating the deferred facilities maintenance crisis in higher education. The slab, part of the building’s parapet, fell off Van Hise Hall on the UW-Madison campus and hit the sidewalk in front of the building's main entrance three stories below. Fortunately, the slab fell on a Sunday when the campus was empty, so no one was injured. However, the incident highlights the critical need for universities and colleges to be more proactive about facility maintenance. Coincidentally, the Van Hise building is where officials make funding decisions for, among other things, capital and repair projects for all system facilities.

A large concrete slab fell off the facade of a UW-Madison building on April 4, 2021. Photo courtesy of Laura Guse.

State universities across Wisconsin have had difficulty in balancing limited budget resources with a growing number of buildings that have fallen into disrepair. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ latest and roughly $2.4 billion capital budget proposal includes about $1 billion for the University of Wisconsin building system. UW System Administrators say those funds are sorely needed as many buildings are in states of disrepair similar to the Van Hise building.

"More than half of the UW System’s buildings were built in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, and many now require significant renovation work to ensure continued safety as well as to support continued excellence in teaching, learning, and research," said UW System interim President Tommy Thompson in a statement.

Proactive maintenance – such as drone-enabled inspections – can help universities like UW safely, quickly, and affordably identify any areas of concerns, such as deteriorating building facades, and avoid dangerous and embarrassing incidents such as this one.