As SLU students, the role of the common home is emphasized in our shared core classes. We discuss commonality with our neighbors, the troubled history of our infrastructure and the uncertain future of Midtown. What better example of a threat to our common home outshines that of the proposed Armory data center? Despite pushback from concerned St. Louisians across the city who rallied in town halls, conditional use hearings and street teams, the construction of a data center in the parking lot of the historic Armory building is still being actively pursued by developers. 

Now more than ever, the student body of SLU needs to engage with its surrounding St. Louis community to join the conversation about data centers. 

The question of the ramifications of data centers is not new, even to the St. Louis region. Across the river in St. Charles County, concerned citizens rallied together just last year to institute a moratorium on data center development, and are now considering a permanent ban on data centers altogether. St. Louis residents are doing the same, with some student voices joining the fray. In February, WashU’s Green Action and Student Sustainability Board and Harris Stowe’s Plant Parenthood posted a social media statement with the Green Billikens on the Armory data center to emphasize the importance of a united student voice against environmental and social injustice. To echo concerns of St. Louisians citywide, this proposed center spells environmental disaster through hazardous air and noise pollution at our campus’ doorstep, for which we students and other city residents will foot the energy bills. 

We encourage SLU students to engage with their common home by being informed listeners and speakers on this topic: attend town halls and hearings, join street team organizations, post on social media, circulate and sign petitions and contact their representatives to make their voices heard. The construction of this center will occur less than 1,000 feet away from campus, drive up our utility costs and guzzle up valuable water and energy resources that are already scarce for marginalized communities in St. Louis.

Civic engagement comes in many forms for students. The “SLU Bubble” makes it easy for us to feel isolated from issues affecting our city. But being there for others encourages us to reach out from our insulated environment and actively participate in the commitment to justice on which SLU prides itself. As head coach Josh Schertz has reminded us, caring about the right stuff is a superpower, and good teammates care and feel a responsibility to the group. It is our duty to be informed about the issues that affect our city’s environment, both social and natural, and to use the platforms allotted to us by our university to be active members of our common home. The issue of the data center is one of many civic issues to speak up about. Join your voice with your neighbors and make yourself heard!