Oakland University board votes to advance campus data center project to due diligence phase
Oakland University's board of trustees has voted to advance a proposed campus data center project into its due diligence phase. This phase will include an environmental study for an area near Lot 37 on campus. The project, developed by Fairmount Properties, has faced health and environmental concerns from students and former students.
The Oakland University board of trustees has voted to advance a proposed campus data center project into its due diligence phase, following nearly a year of consideration. This next stage will encompass an environmental study focusing on an area near Lot 37 on the campus.
Fairmount Properties is slated to build and operate the facility, with university officials, including Vice Provost Amy Banes Berceli, asserting it will come at no additional cost to the university. Banes Berceli emphasized that the project's scale would be significantly smaller than a typical hyperscale data center, requiring approximately 2% of the power, and would offer crucial research infrastructure, revenue generation through industry partnerships, and student internship opportunities. However, students and former students, such as Kevin Thompson, Kevin Hartwell, and Janie Bailey, have expressed mixed views and significant concerns regarding the project's potential environmental impact, citing issues like noise, pollution, water usage, and electricity consumption. University officials have stated that the proposed site is further from a Native American heritage site compared to a previously considered location, and that hard data is still needed to address infrastructure and environmental questions. Groundbreaking is not expected for another 18 to 24 months.