To navigate this era effectively, your institution needs a unified strategy.
The likely first step is establishing a dedicated, cross-functional AI Task Force.
This is more than just another committee. It is the central engine for developing policy, fostering innovation, and guiding your campus community through this transformation. A well-structured task force provides the leadership and clarity your faculty, staff, and students need. Here is a checklist to guide you through a successful launch.
Phase 1: Assembling the Right Team
The effectiveness of the task force depends entirely on who is in the room.
- Appoint a Respected Chair. This role is best filled by a high-level academic leader, such as the Vice President of Academic Affairs or a well-regarded Dean, who has the authority to drive action.
- Secure Key Stakeholder Representation. Your task force may include leaders from:
The Faculty Senate
The Office of Instructional Design / Center for Teaching & Learning
Information Technology (CIO or equivalent)
The Office of the General Counsel
The Dean of Students' Office
The University Library System
Student Government
Ensure Cross-Disciplinary Faculty Voice. Invite faculty from diverse areas—the humanities, STEM, social sciences, and the arts—to ensure policies and initiatives are relevant campus-wide.
Phase 2: Defining the Scope and Mission
A team without a clear mission will flounder.
- Draft a Formal Charter. In consultation with senior leadership, create a document that outlines the task force's official mandate, scope, authority, and timeline. Are you advising, creating policy, or both?
- Conduct an Environmental Scan. The first task should be to understand the current state of affairs. Survey faculty on their current AI use and concerns. Research the AI policies of peer and aspirant institutions.
- Establish Working Sub-Groups. Divide and conquer. Create smaller sub-groups focused on key areas like:
Academic Integrity & Student Conduct Policy
Faculty Development & Pedagogical Innovation
Technology, Infrastructure, & Data Privacy
Phase 3: Driving Action and Delivering Results
The task force must produce tangible outcomes.
- Develop Institutional Guiding Principles. Before drafting policy, agree on a set of core principles for the ethical and productive use of AI in your academic community.
- Draft a Flexible and Modern AI Policy. Move beyond simple prohibition. Create a policy that defines terms, outlines ethical responsibilities, and empowers faculty to specify acceptable AI use at the course and assignment level.
- Recommend Resource Allocation. Provide leadership with a clear-eyed assessment of the resources needed for faculty training, new software tools, and necessary infrastructure upgrades.
- Create and Execute a Communication Plan. Your work must be transparent. Plan regular updates to the campus community through town halls, newsletters, and a dedicated section on the university website.
Launching a task force is the first operational step in a broader strategic vision. It demonstrates a commitment to proactively shaping the future rather than reacting to it.
To see the full picture of how this operational step fits into a comprehensive plan for institutional change, explore our university leader's guide: Strategic AI in Higher Education: A Leader's Guide | Babb Education
