AI Advisory Group
Purpose
The AI Advisory Group brings together faculty, staff, and students to support Macalester’s mission in light of ongoing Artificial Intelligence (AI) changes.
Background
As AI continues to evolve, Macalester College focuses first and foremost on its mission and its role as a residential liberal arts college. What lessons have we learned since the public advent of genAI in October 2021? What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of this technology for our community? What is our responsibility to our students and what must they know as they enter a transformed workplace?
In order to provide recommendations and guidelines on issues surrounding AI and Generative AI, a campus committee was proposed. Committee tasks include alignment with the strategic plan, analysis of cultural impact on the community, cost, and ethical considerations of tools and policies. Grounded in Macalester’s values of intellectual and creative integrity, equity, sustainability, and innovation, the group serves as a resource and conversation partner as our campus considers how to navigate the evolving landscape of AI—together.
Discussions around campus have been ongoing. The library hosts workshops for all students on appropriate AI tools in research and writing and collaborates on a variety of workshops and discussions to strengthen pedagogy, ethical concerns, and community connections. We continue to look for grant opportunities that will allow Macalester to expand the research and exploration of AI in education locally and globally. ITS continues to modernize and expand storage to ensure our data is secure and prepared to meet growing demand, while partnering with peer institutions to develop a sustainable model for the high-performance computing power needed for data analysis and large language models. This committee seeks to recognize the work currently underway on campus and to facilitate collaboration by providing a framework for further discussion, planning, and action related to genAI.
Scope of Work
The group maintains a broad and balanced view of AI’s potential benefits and challenges, and works strategically with cross-campus constituencies.
The AI Advisory Group’s areas of focus include but not limited to:
- Fostering AI Awareness and Literacy
- Create opportunities for respectful dialogue that honors different perspectives—including caution and critique—and supports community-wide learning.
- Create opportunities for respectful dialogue that honors different perspectives—including caution and critique—and supports community-wide learning.
- Supporting Pedagogical Choice and Intellectual and Creative Integrity
- Partner with faculty and departments to explore when, how, or whether to engage AI in teaching and learning incorporating recommendations by national and international professional guidelines.
- Partner with faculty and departments to explore when, how, or whether to engage AI in teaching and learning incorporating recommendations by national and international professional guidelines.
- Protecting Privacy and Information Security
- Help campus members use AI tools responsibly while safeguarding sensitive and personal information, ensuring all practices align with institutional privacy policies, FERPA, and ethical standards.
- Help campus members use AI tools responsibly while safeguarding sensitive and personal information, ensuring all practices align with institutional privacy policies, FERPA, and ethical standards.
- Providing Clarity on Available Tools
- Share information about institutionally supported tools (such as Gemini and Copilot), including their privacy practices and appropriate use cases, and support users in making informed decisions about whether and how to explore these tools.
- Share information about institutionally supported tools (such as Gemini and Copilot), including their privacy practices and appropriate use cases, and support users in making informed decisions about whether and how to explore these tools.
- Encouraging Collaboration and Best Practices
- Foster spaces where ideas, concerns, experiments, and lessons learned can be shared across departments and roles, celebrating both curiosity and caution to balance innovation with care.
- Foster spaces where ideas, concerns, experiments, and lessons learned can be shared across departments and roles, celebrating both curiosity and caution to balance innovation with care.
- Offering Strategic Insight
- Provide strategic guidance on AI that aligns with Macalester’s mission and values, ensuring readiness rooted in inclusion and thoughtful deliberation.
Membership
AI Advisory Group members are:
- Britt Abel, Associate Dean of Academic Success
- Megan Butler, Director of Sustainability
- Julie Dolan, Professor, Political Science
- Katie Kelly, Assistant Dean for Academic Programs and Advising
- Mozhdeh Khodarahmi, Assoc Dir, Access & Research Services
- Lloyd Lentz, Executive Director, Technology Experience & CRM
- Allan Martinez Venegas, Director of Entrepreneurship & Innovation
- Bethany Miller, Associate Provost & Chief Data Officer
- Tam Perlman, Associate Director, Academic Technology Services
- Shilad Sen, Professor & Co-Chair, Statistics & Computer Science
This group will work with a group of advisors including representatives from:
- Faculty across disciplines and perspectives
- Staff from areas such as Academic Programs and Advising, Academic Success, Career Development, Center for Disability Resources, Information Technology Services, Institutional Research, the Library, Student Support Services, Sustainability Office.
- Student representatives (MCSG, Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Career Advisory students, others)
- Administrative liaisons
Additional contributors may be invited based on emerging needs, interests, or areas of exploration.