University of Michigan Senate Advisory Committee Discusses Partnerships and AI
The University of Michigan’s Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs (SACUA) convened on Monday afternoon in the Alexander G. Ruthven Building.
The agenda included a potential collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense and the integration of artificial intelligence within educational frameworks.
The committee also engaged in a closed session with microbiology and immunology professor Mary O’Riordan and psychology professor Stephanie D. Preston.
SACUA Chair Derek Peterson opened the session with an announcement regarding the election of three new members: Michael Schubnell, a research scientist in physics; Kim Kearfott, professor of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences; and Dr. Steven Buchman, professor of neurosurgery.
These newly elected members will officially join the meetings beginning next week, with verbal contributions commencing in May.
Peterson disclosed that he recently communicated with interim University President Domenico Grasso concerning the training of active-duty servicemembers through the Department of Defense’s senior service college fellowships program.
He stated that Grasso assured him no additional separate military courses would be introduced, preserving the integrity of the University’s existing curriculum.
“As a faculty government, we must express our conviction against establishing a separate curriculum tailored for military officers that panders to the former Trump administration’s interpretation of American patriotism,” Peterson articulated.
Recently, the Department of Defense severed ties with nearly two dozen prominent universities, citing that Harvard University’s campus culture is “incongruent” with military values and interests.
Kirsten Herold, a lecturer at the School of Public Health and SACUA member, voiced concerns regarding the wisdom of aligning with the Department of Defense during this turbulent period.
“The University of Michigan should assert solidarity with our colleagues and institutions at other universities that accurately reflect history,” she remarked.
Later, SACUA welcomed Mika LaVaque-Manty, an associate professor of political science and member of SACUA’s AI in Education Working Group. This group employs surveys and benchmarks to discern best practices for the implementation of AI in educational settings.
Comprising 14 members, the group encompasses representatives from nearly all schools within the University, including Michigan Medicine, U-M Dearborn, and U-M Flint. Due to the contentious nature of AI, the identities of the 13 other members were kept anonymous during the meeting.
SACUA Vice Chair Soumya Rangarajan, a clinical assistant professor of internal medicine, highlighted one of the significant challenges facing the working group: the disparate perspectives across various schools.
“The decentralized structure of the University complicates consensus,” Rangarajan stated. “The Medical School shows a pronounced inclination toward AI, diverging significantly from attitudes in other units.”
Jesse Capecelatro, an associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and SACUA member, contended that a uniform AI policy across the University is neither feasible nor advantageous, given the heterogeneous applications AI offers for students.
“A one-size-fits-all approach is implausible,” Capecelatro asserted. “In my graduate courses, AI facilitates the presentation of more challenging or intriguing problems, a luxury not afforded in my undergraduate classes. Therefore, we must consider the distinct sentiments from various units, as their operations differ markedly.”
Source link: Michigandaily.com.
