Oberlin's Deep Dive into Artificial Intelligence in 20XX
Oberlin University is embarking on a significant journey, with the announcement of the "Year of AI Exploration." This initiative aims to prepare the faculty, students, and staff to navigate the rapidly evolving world of Artificial Intelligence (AI), as it reshapes education, research, and employment.
At the heart of this endeavour are two key figures: Adam Eck, Associate Professor of Computer Science and Data Science, who will serve as the college's Director for AI Innovation and Strategy, and Joe Lubben, Professor of Music Theory, who will take on the role as the conservatory's Director for AI Innovation and Strategy.
A series of lectures and conversations by experts in the field will be brought to campus, providing a framework for discussions on AI's challenges and opportunities. Key faculty committees will delve into policy review and curricular development, grappling with AI's impact on academia.
The Oberlin community is planning to explore the impact of AI on campus work over the next year. To facilitate this exploration, access to enterprise versions of ChaptGPT and Google Gemini will be provided to all faculty and staff this fall, with students gaining access in the spring.
Guided AI exploration opportunities will be provided for those with little to no exposure to AI, in four-week segments throughout the year. A faculty survey and a separate student survey will launch in early September to assess perspectives on AI and its usage.
The goal of this exploration is to create a space for critical and creative thinking about AI's impact on students and how to best prepare them for the future. A shared internal hub and a public site have been created to capture the community's collective learning, pilots, and experiments.
Workshops designed to meet the broad needs of the community will be collaboratively offered with various campus partners, including Adam Eck, Joe Lubben, the Centre for Information Technology (CIT), the Lemle Center, academic divisions and departments, Oberlin Undergraduate Research, and campus libraries.
Opportunities to pilot various AI tools will be provided to understand their value and challenges. The Year of AI Exploration at Oberlin also aims to support institutional exploration of AI, grapple with concerns, establish policy and procedures, gather perspectives, explore curricular and co-curricular pathways, and investigate the work of various administrative units through the lens of AI innovation.
The ultimate goal is to spark curiosity, cultivate ethical engagement, and build foundational fluency with AI across the liberal arts and musical community. By the end of this year-long exploration, Oberlin University hopes to have created a blueprint for AI integration that can serve as a model for other educational institutions.