GRAND RAPIDS, MI – When Grand Valley State University senior Sophie Gemmen mentioned the Blue Dot Lab, a planned technology center, to her roommates, they had no idea what she was talking about.
And pre-law major Lukas Hartley said students he’s spoken with have expressed concern that construction will result in an artificial intelligence data center on campus. University leaders assure that isn’t true.
Students and faculty say much of the campus community has not yet paid mind to the Blue Dot Lab, a $166 million technology hub and one of the largest investments in the university’s recent history. After stalling over state funding, the project now moving forward is poised to reshape GVSU’s downtown Grand Rapids campus and influence the school’s direction for decades…