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Seismic Repair Needs Mounting For UC Campuses

BERKELEY (KCBS) – As if having to deal with ongoing budget cuts wasn't enough, University of California officials are now in search of funding as they need to seismically repair campuses across the state.

More than a dozen classrooms at Tolman Hall on the UC Berkeley campus are closed because the building needs more than $200 million in repairs.

KCBS' Dave Padilla Reports:

Steve Montiel with the UC Office of the President said this is just one project that needs immediate attention for the 10-campus system.

"Some things get put off and we just do the best we can with what we're getting from the state and what we can get through other means," Montiel said.

With enrollment growth at some campuses, Montiel said many buildings need to expand and getting the necessary funding is proving to be quite challenging.

"We need more than a billion dollars a year over the next five years to address the most pressing needs of our facilities," he said.

Bond money that was used to fund structural improvement projects is no longer reliable.

Montiel said there is an effort underway to put a bond on the ballot for 2012, but even if voters approved it, the bond wouldn't cover all the capital needs.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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