Marist + AI: A Committee Facing AI, Not Fearing It
Dr. Kevin Gaugler, Assistant Dean of the School of Liberal Arts and professor of Spanish recognizes the capabilities of AI by using it within the classroom setting. Photo by Bobby Oliver/Marist University.
The rise of artificial intelligence is currently impacting industries across the world, and education is no exception. Whether you are a student working on an assignment or a faculty member developing new coursework, understanding the various implications of AI is crucial. The Marist + AI committee looks to meet these changes head-on and help ensure that Marist University keeps pace with this rapidly evolving landscape.
Marist + AI was formed in the fall of 2024 by President Kevin Weinman to help leverage AI in advancing the university’s mission. President Weinman asked Diane Hart, associate vice president of special projects and innovation, and Dr. Kevin Gaugler, assistant dean of the Liberal School of Arts, to co-chair the committee.
“I saw it as an opportunity to help shape AI literacy at the college, ensuring that faculty, students and staff are equipped to use these tools thoughtfully and ethically,” said Gaugler.
The committee’s goal is to help prepare the Marist community for this new chapter of technological advancements. To ensure that the committee represents the interests of everyone on campus, the group’s board is composed of students, faculty and staff.
Christian Sarmiento ‘25 is a student representative on the board. Sarmiento works to advocate for students by offering realistic perspectives on newly introduced ideas.
“When it comes to planning out resources and what it looks like here in this context, it is important that the things available to us as students are actually useful and worthwhile,” he said.
The committee is divided into a steering group, and then two sub-sections: the academic working group and the operations working group. The steering group is led by Hart, Gaugler and seven other faculty and staff. The academic group has 11 members and the operations group has 12.
The academic working group houses a faculty member from each academic school. They are developing strategies to write AI into the curriculum, creating guidelines on how to use AI responsibly and working alongside staff at the James A. Cannavino Library to find ethical AI platforms.
The operations working group has representatives from human resources, legal counsel, data science & analytics, infrastructure & cybersecurity, enterprise solutions and enrollment services. This team works to inspect different applications of AI and researches topics of safety, security and privacy when working with AI.
Despite the two subsections, the overall objective is the same. “We want to provide faculty and students with the knowledge to use AI effectively while considering issues like data privacy, bias, and academic integrity,” Gaugler said. “We also emphasize a human-centered approach—AI should enhance learning and creativity, not replace critical thinking or authentic engagement.”
The steering committee and working groups have been meeting regularly since Oct. 2024. These meetings occur in person and via Zoom. The meetings are typically only for members but the committee is working on broadening their outreach.
“We are staying connected with the Marist community through listening sessions, meeting with different groups and committees and gathering input directly from stakeholders,” said Hart. “We're currently planning our community engagement for the spring semester and expect to keep using this approach to stay connected.”
As AI continues to evolve, Marist + AI is determined to find ways to utilize AI as a tool to enhance learning and foster student success.
“As students, we should want our school to put us in a position that prepares us for the world after college; in this case, a world that simply hasn't existed before,” Sarmiento said.