On Friday, Feb. 24, University President Ed Seidel released a statement to the University of Wyoming entitled “Artificial Intelligence at UW”.
In the statement, Seidel discusses the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) platforms and their potential far-reaching consequences for higher education, as well as how he plans to address the technology moving forward.
“Earlier this semester, I charged a working group to explore these implications and make recommendations on how UW can best navigate this emerging technology in ways that promote the success of the entire UW community,” Seidel wrote.
The working group, co-chaired by Vice Provost for Strategic Planning and Initiatives Anne Alexander and Professor of History of the American West and Chair of the Faculty Senate Renée Laegreid, made several recommendations, which can be found on the UW website.
One of the recommendations is to “revise UW Regulation 2-114 to address unpermitted use of artificial intelligence,” according to Seidel. Other recommendations include communicating with students, their families, and university partners on the impacts that AI will have on higher education, and establishing the Ellbogen Center for Teaching and Learning as a support and navigation center for instructors.
The working group also recommends forming a longer-term working group to continue monitoring the technology and university related strategies.
“I am supportive of all the recommendations, and my office will ensure the right groups on campus are involved with next steps,” Seidel said in the statement.
Seidel does not provide further explanation about how or when the university will follow through with recommendations and to what extent UW Regulation 2-114 will be revised.
The statement does not mention exact steps that may be taken to address the impact of the systems on the university and education at large.
This comes at a time when multiple institutions across the nation are beginning to address the development of AI systems and how they will affect the future of secondary education.
Seidel begins his closing statement with, “I am proud that UW is taking this head-on, and that we are finding ways to embrace AI for its potential in ways that maintain academic integrity and promote academic success.”
