PUHI, Kaua'i —The University of Hawai'i Board of Regents yesterday approved a budget request that, if approved, would allow it to cut into an estimated $175 million in deferred maintenance.

The panel, in a meeting at Kaua'i Community College, approved a supplemental budget to be presented to the governor and the 2006 Legislature. In it, the regents are asking for $41.5 million in operating funds and $187 million in capital improvement funds.

The capital money includes $88.4 million for catching up on deferred maintenance. It would be added to $20 million approved by the Legislature for maintenance of buildings and infrastructure.

With the state's economy picking up and tax revenues improving, the university system hopes to begin catching up on its maintenance deficit.

University director of capital improvements Jan Yokota said the system needs $30 million a year just to keep up with regular maintenance, and during times of fiscal austerity, that number is seldom met — meaning buildings go unpainted, roofs unrepaired and other work left undone.

Yokota said deferred maintenance has been growing year after year as the needed $30 million has been trimmed. As an example, last year's estimate was that $161 million was needed to cover deferred maintenance.

"When the tide is high, that's the time to ask for one-time stuff," said university interim President David McClain.

In other actions, the board approved the appointment of accountant Howard S. Todo as the university's chief financial officer and its vice-president for budget and finance.

Also, the Board of Regents approved the establishment at Leeward Community College of an Associate in Arts in Teaching degree—a two-year degree that could be used by graduates immediately to qualify as teaching assistants in the state Department of Education, or which as a springboard to enter a program for a regular baccalaureate teaching degree.

Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com.