Feb. 4, 2025
Dear Colleagues,
Today, the California State University unveiled a bold Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategy that positions the system as a leader in higher education and workforce preparation through a structured, equity-focused approach.
The º£½ÇÉçÇø’s unprecedented adoption of AI technologies will make trainings, learning, and teaching tools—including ChatGPT—available across all 23 º£½ÇÉçÇø universities, ensuring that the system’s more than 460,000 students and 63,000 faculty and staff have equitable access to cutting-edge tools that will prepare them to meet the rapidly changing education and workforce needs of California. The º£½ÇÉçÇø expects to make these tools available within the next few weeks.
Cal State Channel Islands has a unique opportunity to lead in this moment because we are already making strides at intersections of higher education and emerging technologies like AI. Last year, the Oxnard Union High School District Superintendent, Dr. Tom McCoy, and I co-authored for the VC Star. In it, we articulated a vision for AI in education—one in which students are empowered to shape their futures through equitable access and opportunities, dynamic learning experiences, and critical approaches to innovation. Since then, we have seen:
- that save time while supporting personalized communication;
- examples of for formative learning experiences; and
- specific ways to
I am aware of the challenges associated with AI diffusion. These include:
- questions about ;
- ;
- present in AI outputs;
- hallucinations and ; and
- concerns about , , and in an AI-influenced world.
At the same time, we know that even increasingly require generative AI skills. AI has with our digital infrastructure and will be the difference between shaping the future or being shaped by a future for which we are simply not ready.
To lead in this space means to begin with this awareness and to recognize that how we shape AI usage will make the difference. For this reason, I will be asking leaders in Teaching & Learning Innovations (TLi) and Information Technology Services (ITS) to coordinate our efforts through the following campus-wide initiatives:
- An AI Ethics Committee to ensure that we stay current with emerging AI developments and provide guidance toward ethical practices and uses of AI-enabled interventions.
- An Innovation Challenge to support creative exploration of AI applications and use cases.
- A Research Challenge to support replicable, aggregable, data-driven inquiry around AI diffusion in educational contexts.
The º£½ÇÉçÇø’s AI strategy presents an opportunity for º£½ÇÉçÇøCI to have equitable access to tools and training, and it creates a forum for sharing what we learn along the way. We will build from the promising efforts already happening on our campus, and in doing so, we will enact the values of servingness, an outside-in perspective, and fiscal sustainability through invention and innovation.
I look forward to growing with you all into the newness that responsible and innovative use of AI will bring to us and to the students and communities we serve.
Sincerely,
Richard Yao, Ph.D.
President