Among other things, LSU’s campus is known for its beauty — for stately oaks, proud magnolias and unique architecture.But as pretty as the University appears, it has countless cracks, fractures and problems. And the list of problems in need of repair is getting longer all the time.The University’s deferred maintenance list — a catalogue of repairs Facility Services employees haven’t yet been able to fix — is currently worth a staggering $430 million. This sum is a result of years of inadequate funding.Facility Services estimates $20 million a year would be necessary to fully fund physical maintenance. The state has given them a little more than $3 million this time around.We understand $20 million to keep the University’s physical plant in top condition is a luxury the state can ill afford, especially given recent budget woes. But budget cuts haven’t been here forever, and the state has seldom or never provided Facility Services with anywhere near the money it needs to function at full capacity.As the flagship University and the epicenter of some of Louisiana’s greatest cultural phenomena, the aesthetic appeal of this campus is vital to the success of not just students, but the state as a whole.Facility Services certainly shouldn’t get all the money it asks for, but $430 million is a lot of money — and a lot of problems that still remain on campus. Once we emerge from our current budget crisis, the state should take some steps to at least catch up on the list. It’d be a shame for such a beautiful campus to crumble.—-Contact the Editorial Board at [email protected]