Today@Sam Article

AI@SHSU Mini-Conference Tackles Tough Questions

April 18, 2024
SHSU Media Contact: Mikah Boyd

Since the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), businesses, governments and similar entities have grappled with how to ethically use the new tool to their benefit.

In 2022, Sam Houston State University launched a committee made up of faculty, staff and administrators to discuss AI and how students and professors could ethically incorporate it into academics. After gathering information and input from around campus, the committee held a town hall in the fall of 2023 to share what they had learned so far and to gauge interest in the topic.

The response was staggering. Bearkats from all positions on campus had questions and ideas about how to utilize AI, leaving the group itching to do more.

“After a successful town hall, we wanted to get the students involved. We invited students from the eight colleges and the graduate school via the Student Senate,” said Mandy Jordan, a research associate with SHSU Online. “The students shared their views on AI and academic dishonesty and where the line was drawn. Most of them felt like Grammarly was safe, but having ChatGPT write your paper was not okay.”

After putting in the work, the committee held the AI@SHSU Mini-Conference on March 26, featuring speakers from across campus and special guest Jason Gulya, a faculty member and chair of the AI Council at Berkley College. Following Gulya’s keynote address, attendees were able to attend mini sessions covering topics such as Using Generative AI in Teaching; Ethics, AI and Higher Ed; AI Tools for the Classroom and a special discussion led by the SHSU Student Senate that covered artificial intelligence and academic integrity.

The inclusion of the Student Senate’s special discussion was significant to Jordan, who continuously works to ensure students are included in discussions around AI and online learning.

“I’m always a student advocate, so I feel that it is extremely important to have the student voices included,” she said. “This is their education; they’re paying for it and they need to know what they’re learning and how they’re learning it.”

On the other side of the coin, ensuring lecturers had access to information about AI could help make their lesson planning easier. Jordan explained that Blackboard’s implementation of AI software and tools could help professors with ease of use and accessibility.

While most of the academic community’s fears around AI have diminished since 2022, SHSU Online has stayed on top of it and is constantly working to ensure that any concerns can be quickly addressed.

“Because AI is moving so fast, there’s got to be a dedicated committee who’s constantly looking at it, watching it and learning about it, because otherwise we’ll be behind,” Jordan said. “Then we’re doing our students a disservice by not understanding what they’re having to go into the world learning about. I feel that it’s our duty to have at least someone out there who’s paying attention and sharing that knowledge with everyone else, which would be the conferences, townhalls and things like that.”

- END -

This page maintained by SHSU's Communications Office:

Director of Content Communications: Emily Binetti

Asst. Director Content & Social Media: Emilee White

Communications Manager: Mikah Boyd
Telephone: 936.294.1837

Communications Specialist: Campbell Atkins
Telephone: 936.294.2638

Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu