by S. Keith Hargrove
Disruption in higher education is now more commonplace, as we reflect on the
pandemic and governmental policies and oversight. Disruption normally recognized in industry, the pace of technology discovered through research or adopting emerging technologies are why colleges and universities exist to assess their impact in human society. It aligns with the mission of learning, scholarly inquiry and innovation, and external engagement. For many Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), disruption may have a greater impact in operations and how students learn compared to traditional methods. In an article previously prepared for Diversity in Action magazine, I share the same premise for many of our HBCUs.
For us administrators in academia, we seem to succumb to the invasion of a learning and capability tool that is transforming the demonstration of knowledge and intellectual output of our students, and the opportunity to increase faculty and administrator productivity in time and effort. Thus, artificial intelligence (AI) has been beneficial and troublesome for the servers of classroom information and the use to improve workflow and automate many operations commonly exercised throughout the university. Of course, many of us are accustomed to AI in our daily lives (eg. Siri, Alexa, etc), and have adapted and integrated the virtual assistant in our work and consumer activities. But for faculty in higher education, creating a generative AI policy for usage in completing assignments is creating somewhat of a confrontation of ethics and substitutional learning.
Most faculty have decided to have a “don’t use” policy for homework assignments as a method of integrity and academic policy, clearly stipulated in the syllabus. However, having a detection protocol is still necessary for evaluation and authenticity. The more popular generative AI platforms like OpenAI, Gemini, and ChatGPT have found many applications and usage, but adhering to strict policies is a must for faculty to control and monitor the evidence of plagiarism. The other benefit for faculty and administrators is the use of these tools for administrative tasks such as letter writing, speeches, searches, etc, and the application in university functions such as tutoring, course scheduling, advising, recruiting and admissions, chatbots, and even teaching. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education in April 2024, 78 percent of college and university administrators see AI as having a positive impact on teaching.
As with most emerging technologies being integrated to any organization, I view the
most successful implementation occurs in phases. Even within the context of disruption,
organizational leadership must recognize that technology typically aligns or partners with change, and the acceptance of transformation should become as common as a new incoming class in higher education.
Strategically, academic leadership in any university must be champions of the change and the tools, and promote Awareness at every level. Becoming familiar and more at ease with AI at all levels of the organization through education, workshops, seminars, and exposure to faculty and staff diminishes opposition and encourages acceptance. It is also an opportunity to allow personnel to develop new skills using AI tools and partner with external advocates to promote the advantages of AI and its potential benefits inside the classroom and for university functions.
The next phase is Adoption, whereby the exposure to AI platforms can generate acceptance for institutional usage throughout the organization. To transition to adoption, the formation of a task force or campus-wide committee can facilitate policies and governance to create an infrastructure of collaboration, support, and collegiality.
And lastly, Applications is the identification of specific uses of AI in the classroom and university processes for efficiency, enterprise systems, and a learning organization that benefits students and institutional personnel. Several universities have used GenAI to help assess admissions applications, personalize learning through tutoring, and help streamline operations in financial aid and other functions.
As leaders at HBCUs, accepting and embracing transformative technologies can help us increase college completion. Complete College America reported that strategically using AI in teaching and learning, student experiences, and organizational effectiveness can greatly support student success and achievement. The next step is accepting the challenge, and making it happen with vigor, commitment, and intentionality. This can help transform our HBCUs with the integration and research of artificial intelligence.
S. Keith Hargrove currently serves as provost at Tuskegee University in Alabama. He previously served as dean of the College of Engineering at Tennessee State University. He is a strong advocate of leadership development and promoting underrepresented groups pursuing and completing undergraduate and graduate degrees in STEM. He received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Tennessee State University, a master’s degree from Missouri University of Science & Technology, and a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa.
