Sharing the AI Working Group Report and Resources

Dear Members of the Puget Sound Community,

Over the past academic year, a cross campus Artificial Intelligence (AI) Working Group has been engaged in examining the opportunities, risks, and implications of rapidly evolving AI technologies for our university. I am grateful to the faculty and staff who contributed their time and expertise to this important effort.

Today, I am pleased to share the Working Group’s report with you. This report reflects a thoughtful and collaborative process, grounded in our institutional values and informed by emerging practices across higher education. It outlines key considerations and potential elements of a future institutional approach to AI across teaching and learning, scholarship, administrative operations, and student life.

I also want to share with you our new AI at Puget Sound website that was developed by the Working Group as a part of this project. The website will serve as a university-wide hub for practical guidance and resources curated for students, faculty, and staff. Visit it at pugetsound.edu/ai.

The AI at Puget Sound website includes a page that describes university-approved AI tools, including guardrails for data confidentiality. This page provides guidance in choosing appropriate AI tools, including our Gemini for Education account available to all campus community members, which provides enterprise-grade data protections. Find more details here.

As we approach the end of the academic year, we will not be undertaking broad community engagement on this work until the fall semester. At that time, we will invite feedback from across the campus community to help inform and refine an institutional approach.

In the meantime, the report highlights several important areas for consideration:

• Academic integrity and teaching and learning. The report explores the importance of critical AI literacy, while reinforcing our commitment to rigor and meaningful student engagement.
• Equity in access and environmental impact. As with any emerging technology, it will be important to consider how access and impacts may vary across our community, and to consider environmental impact in the choices we make regarding AI tools and uses.
• Operational opportunities and risks. AI presents potential to enhance administrative effectiveness, alongside important considerations related to data privacy, security, and risk management.
• Ongoing learning and governance. This is a rapidly evolving space that will require continued learning, clear guidance, and appropriate governance structures.

I encourage you to review the report and begin considering how these developments may intersect with your work and your field. We look forward to engaging more fully as a community in the fall.

I would also like to recognize the members of the Artificial Intelligence Working Group for their service:

• Executive Sponsors: Drew Kerkhoff (Provost) and Kim Kvaal (EVP/CFO)
• Project Leads: Gareth Barkin (Dean of Operations & Technology), Francisco Chavez (CIO)
• Faculty Members: America Chambers, Siddharth Ramakrishnan, Ariela Tubert
• Administrative Representatives: Janet Hallman, Stacy Kelly, Kevin Riordan
• Technology Services: Faithlina Abeshima, Aaron Tran
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Lorna Hernandez Jarvis (VPIED)

Thank you again to the Working Group for their leadership and to all of you for your continued commitment to Puget Sound.

Sincerely,

Isiaah Crawford, Ph.D. | President