Fisk University is standing by its controversial proposal to build a data center on campus despite growing opposition from students, alumni, and community members.
The proposed data center is part of Fisk's approximately $1 billion "Quantum Leap" master plan, an ambitious redevelopment effort aimed at modernizing the historic HBCU. One of the plan's centerpiece projects is a proposed $400 million Innovation & Technology Center. The 100,000-square-foot facility would include 30,000 square feet of academic space and 70,000 square feet dedicated to a data center.
Speaking to ABC News, Fisk President Dr. Agenia W. Clark said the project is about ensuring the university's long-term financial future.
"Higher ed is in a different place right now," Clark said. "We've got to be innovative, visionary and figure out what it looks like to go forward."
Clark said the university is still searching for a development partner for the data center and is evaluating designs that would minimize potential environmental impacts.
The proposal has sparked protests, a petition with more than 17,000 signatures, and criticism from some students, alumni and local leaders.
Among the most vocal critics is Tennessee state Rep. Justin Jones, a Fisk alumnus, who questioned whether the project's financial benefits outweigh its potential impact on the surrounding historically Black community.
"We're going to get [$1 billion] allegedly, but at what cost?" Jones told ABC News.
Jones also criticized the university for not publicly identifying a corporate partner for the project and questioned whether a data center could be built without negatively affecting nearby residents.
Current Fisk senior Brynn Patterson also opposed the proposal, saying innovation shouldn't come "at the cost of all the negatives that this data center will bring to campus."
The debate comes as communities across the country continue scrutinizing data center projects over concerns about environmental impacts, energy use and quality of life.
In late July, following backlash over Fisk's proposal and a separate data center planned near the Nashville Zoo, city leaders approved a temporary moratorium and new restrictions on future data center development. According to ABC News, Fisk's current proposal would likely not meet those newly adopted requirements.
Despite the opposition, Clark said the university plans to continue refining the proposal as it moves through Nashville's municipal and regulatory review process. A construction timeline has not been announced.
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