Task Force Members
- Derek Hoiem, Professor, Grainger College of Engineering, Co-chair
- Shaowen Wang, Associate Dean for Life & Physical Sciences, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Co-chair
- Brandon Batzloff, Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, School of Information Sciences
- Amanda Brantner, Senior Director of Content & Educational Portfolio Strategy, Gies College of Business
- Nerissa Brown, Executive Associate Dean of Academic Programs, Gies College of Business
- Elhan Ersoz, Clinical Assistant Professor, College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences
- Colleen Lewis, Associate Director of Graduate Programs, Grainger College of Engineering
- Ismini Lourentzou, Assistant Professor, School of Information Sciences
- Liam Magee, Professor, College of Education
- Luc Paquette, Associate Professor, College of Education
- John Reid, Executive Director, Center for Digital Agriculture
- Kevin Scharp, Professor, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- David Ward, Associate Professor, University Library
- Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko, Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean, Graduate College, ex officio
- Ingrid Fulmer, Advisor for Strategic Initiatives, Office of the Provost, ex officio
- Kevin Jackson, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Office of the Provost, ex officio
- Allison McKinney, Assistant Dean, Graduate College, ex officio
Charge Letter
Dear Colleagues,
Artificial intelligence, in its traditional forms as well as its more recent generative form, has the potential to transform our educational enterprise in ways we are beginning to imagine. We have much to imagine still for its impacts, and its opportunities, for how we teach, how we learn, and how we launch the learner-leaders of tomorrow towards their exciting future. Our campus is known for interdisciplinary collaborations in education, creating unique and high-value blended degrees, and providing transformative educational experiences for our students. The moment is right to leverage this collaborative spirit in conjunction with our deep and broad expertise in AI, putting us in a great position to lead the nation in educating our students in AI.
The campus is advancing on the development of a comprehensive AI education strategy and implementation across our colleges and units. The initiatives include, but are not limited to: (i) facilitating and supporting regular structured conversations on a broad range of AI topics; (ii) supporting our instructors to infuse AI concepts and usage in their courses; (iii) supporting the development of general education elective courses in AI; (iv) supporting the development and launch of AI certificates; (v) developing a campus-wide AI minor; and (vi) developing blended X+AI (or AI+X) degrees.
Creating meaningful, lasting, and rigorous transcriptable credentials require careful consideration of learning outcomes, course and curriculum design, and resource allocation. In the AI space, consideration must also be given to whether students will approach AI as a tool within a discipline, or a discipline on its own. The educational background and prerequisite knowledge of the broad swath of learners that would want to engage in earning these credentials also must be taken into consideration.
On behalf of the Office of the Provost and Deans Bashir, Bollero, Chodzko-Zajko, Elliott, Knox, Mouza, Patton, and Stewart, I am pleased to appoint and charge each of you as members of the Campus AI Curriculum Task Force.
We specifically request that your committee address the following:
- Articulate the framework for the development of a campus wide undergraduate AI-minor that could be available to all students at the University. What would be the learning objectives, specific courses, and resources needed for this minor? When could such a minor be launched and where should it be housed?
- Leveraging our success in developing and offering blended degrees, what would a blended X+AI (or AI+X) undergraduate degree model look like on our campus? What would the AI core look like and how do we learn from our CS+X and X+DS model to formulate these future X+AI degrees? How would such a degree differ from a campus-wide AI minor? Articulate any administrative and financial considerations for such blended degrees. Would there be a benefit to a centralized structure to manage multi-college X + AI degrees?
- Incorporate the development of a campus-wide undergraduate AI certificate that would be stackable into the AI minor and blended X+AI (or AI+X) offerings.
- Give consideration to an accessible and scalable delivery model for coursework offered in the AI minor and the +AI (or AI+) components of a blended degree model. Articulate any administrative and financial considerations for a scalable model.
- In developing a blended X+AI (or AI+X) degree model, give consideration to how that model could be transferred to graduate education.
- Consider how social, ethical, environmental, and economic concerns should be integrated into these programs.
We expect your work to include engaging faculty outside the schools and colleges represented on this committee. For example, the Teaching Advancement Board consists of instructors from across campus and has expressed a particular interest in AI curriculum. Please reach out to Vice Provost Kevin Jackson to meet with the Board. Another useful conversation would be to engage with members of the Senate Education Policy Committee. Please reach out to Dean Brooke Elliott or to Advisor to the Provost Ingrid Fulmer for an introduction.
Staff support will be provided for this committee. The deans are committed to be available should the committee want to meet with them to hear their perspectives and answer questions.
I would like to receive a short summary update by December 19, 2025, and a written report on the items above by January 19, 2026. If you need additional time, please let me know.
On behalf of the deans and myself, thank you for your service to this task force.
Sincerely,
John Coleman
Provost