NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Fisk University announced a sweeping campus master plan Thursday that includes a new data center development university leaders said will help support Fisk’s long-term financial future and academic growth.
School officials unveiled the initiative — called “Quantum Leap” — during an event alongside the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell.
University leaders said the plan outlines more than a decade of renovations and upgrades across campus, including improvements to classrooms and dormitories and the potential construction of a new Fisk Arena.
A major component of the proposal is the creation of an “Innovation Center,” which would include a data center on five acres of currently undeveloped campus property.
Officials said the data center would support new and existing academic programs while helping expand tech-focused and interdisciplinary studies at the university.
After the announcement, NewsChannel 5 asked Don Hardin, president of the Don Hardin Group, about concerns some communities across the country have raised about nearby data centers, including questions surrounding air quality, water usage and energy demand.
“We probably study the impacts of data centers across the country more than anybody because we want to make sure we do it right,” Hardin said. “When NES approved us having accessible power, they made sure that if we have something like a data center or a major power usage, no utility bills will spill on any other neighbors.”
University leaders also emphasized sustainability during the announcement, saying the facility will use advanced technologies designed to limit energy and water consumption while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The university’s development of the Quantum Leap initiative is expected to unfold over the next 10 years or more.
As a parent, staying one step ahead of the "bad guys" is getting increasingly tough due to the vast landscape of the online world. Like me, if you are raising kids - Phil Williams' latest investigation is a must see. I appreciate the knowledge and practical steps he delivers in this report.
- Carrie Sharp
