This analysis looked at higher education facilities management that, despite exponential growth in responsibilities since the 1960s, has seen reduced resources for operations and maintenance. By extrapolating 1988 data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the review estimated that there are now 3.4 billion square feet of higher education facilities in the United States. Five tables show U.S. and campus populations, number of higher education institutions, number and square footage of higher education buildings, book value of physical plant buildings, and higher education expenditures for operation of physical plants. The data show that the scope of the typical physical plant department has increased significantly to include, such activities as round-the-clock operation of research buildings with complicated supporting services. The typical building is a mixture of air conditioned spaces featuring electronically-ballasted lighting fixtures serving complicated animal care facilities, computer-based instructional rooms, on-line libraries, or recombinant gene research laboratories, all linked by fiber optic cable to the rest of the campus and the world. At the same time, recent decades have seen a large expansion in campus populations. However, when adjusted for 1990 dollars, expenditures for physical plant departments per campus occupant have changed very little in the past three decades. (Contains 14 references.) (JB)