In a move lauded as “paradigm shifting” by AI enthusiasts on campus, President Aoun has ordered facilities staff to redirect Stetson East and Stetson West’s water supply to the new AI makerspace. This move, according to Aoun, aims to “put the emerging field of AI front and center as part of Northeastern’s mission to be a global leader in innovation.” Sitting in front of his personal office fountain, he also acknowledged the soon-to-be lack of water in the Stetson buildings, saying that “every one of us is making sacrifices in the name of progress. Sometimes we have to realize that some resources are better invested elsewhere.”
Unfortunately, the new construction has already shown signs of trouble, with raw sewage leaking into Snell basement as a result of hasty construction work. While some critics have contended that the puddles of fecal matter forming in the basement are some sort of metaphor for the rushed nature of the project itself, others have argued that it is simply the, “new smell of progress.” Facilities staff have said that the raw sewage will be tidied up, “eventually.”
But the move itself isn’t without its critics. Many students and faculty say that the move is a step in the right direction, but is really just too little, far too late. “We needed to prioritize this AI Makerspace months, if not years ago,” third-year AI major Claude Chudwick told the Trusty Husky. “I think the move should be wider reaching anyway. Does Melvin Hall really need water when we could be using that to make videos of fruit babies doing stand-up comedy?”
Residents of the Stetson Halls are split on the issue. Many AI enthusiasts who live there have said they will buy their own drinking water, and that they didn’t use the shower anyway. Other more cynical residents say that the redirected water should come from somewhere with better water facilities to offer to AI, such as the YMCA pool. One resident said that she feels “so terrible for this. Why should an AI have to struggle through our lead-pipe-tainted water to do someone’s calc homework? It’s cruel. We’re just asking for an AI uprising at this point.”
The move is set to proceed within the next week.
Tessa Walter contributed reporting to this article.
