Refers to the postponement of necessary repairs and upkeep of college and university campus buildings, infrastructure, and systems due to budget constraints or competing institutional priorities. Over time, this backlog can lead to visibly decaying campuses, where aging facilities become outdated, unsafe, or unusable—posing risks to student learning, recruitment, and institutional reputation.

Many colleges and universities—especially those with declining enrollment or strained budgets—are able to only fund a small fraction of their facility repair needs, often covering less than 25% of estimated deferred maintenance each year. This leads to the accumulation of physical deterioration across campuses: leaking roofs, failing HVAC systems, outdated labs, inaccessible buildings, and even health or safety hazards.