Plans for data center on Oakland University campus move forward
Oakland University's Board of Trustees voted to advance plans for an AI data center on campus, moving it into a formal due diligence process. This decision comes despite widespread objections from students and community members concerned about environmental impacts and noise pollution. The university plans to gather more information on infrastructure and environmental impact, and development agreements will be made over the summer.
The Board of Trustees for Oakland University recently voted to move an AI data center project on its campus into a formal due diligence process, bringing it a step closer to realization despite significant community and student opposition.
The university plans to use the facility to update its aging computer infrastructure and provide students with high-performance computing clusters, which officials say are crucial for competing for federal research funding. The proposed data center is described as smaller than large-scale facilities and is expected to use less than 2% of the campus's power and land.
However, local residents like Stella Swartz and Rachel Hartrick expressed concerns about potential water and noise pollution, with one resident stating a general aversion to such developments in her community. The university conducted nine months of community engagement and agreed to relocate the proposed data center to an area adjacent to parking lot 37 after concerns were raised about its proximity to a Native American Heritage Site. Formal due diligence is slated for October, with development agreements expected over the summer.