11/11/2024

Dear Puget Sound Community,

As part of our commitment to ensuring Puget Sound remains at the forefront of technological advancement while upholding our core values, we are excited to announce the formation of the AI Working Group. This group will develop an institutional strategy for the responsible, appropriate, and innovative integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into both our academic and operational frameworks.

The AI Working Group will be tasked with assessing the current state of AI at Puget Sound, identifying opportunities for its use in enhancing teaching, learning, scholarship, and administrative functions, and establishing ethical guidelines for its adoption. Additionally, the group will develop a long-term vision and strategic goals to help guide our engagement with AI technologies across campus.

The AI Working Group will be led by executive sponsors Drew Kerkhoff, Provost, and Kim Kvaal, EVP/CFO, as well as project leads Gareth Barkin, Dean of Operations & Technology, and Francisco Chavez, CIO. The working group is composed of the following members, and will include student representative(s) to be announced shortly:

  • Faithlina Abeshima, Information Security Administrator, Technology Services
  • America Chambers, Associate Professor and Chair, Mathematics and Computer Science
  • Janet Hallman, Associate Vice President for Financial Planning & Analysis, Finance and Administration
  • Lorna Hernandez Jarvis, Vice President for Institutional Equity & Diversity
  • Stacy Kelly, Chief Risk Management Officer & Assistant General Counsel, General Counsel and Risk Management
  • Siddharth Ramakrishnan, Professor, Biology and Director, Neuroscience
  • Kevin Riordan, Director of Institutional Research, Academic Affairs
  • Aaron Tran, Director of Educational Technology, Technology Services
  • Ariela Tubert, Professor, Philosophy

The group will begin meeting this fall and will work toward evaluating AI’s impacts across academic and operational functions, addressing both the opportunities AI offers and the challenges it may pose. The working group will establish robust ethical standards and “guardrails” to guide AI use, and engage stakeholders from all areas of the university to ensure our strategy reflects diverse perspectives and needs.

We believe this initiative has the potential to significantly enhance our academic and operational capabilities while maintaining our commitment to ethical practices, student success, and the liberal arts. As the group begins its work, we look forward to sharing updates and engaging the campus community in dialogue around the future of AI at Puget Sound.

If you have any questions or would like more information about the AI Working Group’s goals, please reach out to Gareth Barkin and Francisco Chavez at AIWorkingGroup@pugetsound.edu.

Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm as we embark on this important endeavor.

Sincerely,

Isiaah Crawford, Ph.D. | President