Executive Overview
Artificial Intelligence is transforming higher education at an unprecedented pace, presenting both extraordinary opportunities and significant challenges that require coordinated institutional responses.
Why Your Institution Needs an AI Task Force
Coordinate Institutional Response
AI impacts every department differently. A task force ensures cohesive strategies across teaching, research, operations, and student services while respecting departmental autonomy and expertise.
Develop Clear Policies
Without guidance, faculty and students struggle with AI use boundaries. A task force creates transparent, practical policies that support innovation while maintaining academic integrity.
Support Educational Excellence
Ensure AI enhances rather than replaces learning. Task forces help faculty integrate AI thoughtfully while developing students' critical thinking and AI literacy skills.
Share Best Practices
Break down silos and foster cross-campus collaboration. Task forces create forums for sharing successes, learning from challenges, and building collective expertise.
Proven Success Model
This toolkit is based on successful implementations at multiple institutions, including community colleges and universities. The framework is adaptable to institutions of any size, from single campuses to multi-campus systems.
What This Toolkit Provides
- Proven organizational structure for single and multi-campus institutions
- Clear mission, vision, and core pillars adaptable to your institutional values
- Working group frameworks with specific responsibilities and deliverables
- 12-month implementation timeline with realistic milestones and phases
- Ready-to-use templates for proposals, surveys, and communication
- Assessment frameworks to measure impact and demonstrate value
Mission & Vision Framework
A clear mission and compelling vision guide your task force's work and communicate its value to stakeholders.
Sample Mission Statement
The [Institution Name] AI Task Force advances our commitment to educational excellence by developing innovative strategies for AI integration, recommending ethical guidelines for AI use, supporting our community in adopting AI technologies responsibly, preparing students for success in an AI-enhanced world, and ensuring equitable access to AI resources.
Sample Vision Statement
We envision [Institution Name] as a leader in responsible AI integration, where faculty confidently incorporate AI tools to enhance student learning, students develop AI literacy while maintaining academic integrity, administrative processes are optimized through ethical AI application, and our community sets standards for responsible AI use in higher education.
Customization Tips
Adapt these statements to reflect your institution's unique values and strategic priorities. Consider incorporating language from your strategic plan, mission statement, or accreditation standards. Involve key stakeholders in refining the mission and vision to ensure broad buy-in.
Aligning with Institutional Values
Your task force mission should connect explicitly with existing institutional priorities. Consider alignment with:
Student Success
How AI supports learning outcomes and workforce preparation
Academic Excellence
Maintaining rigor while embracing innovation
Equity & Access
Ensuring all students benefit from AI resources
Innovation
Leading in educational technology adoption
Four Core Pillars
These pillars provide a balanced framework for your task force's work, ensuring comprehensive coverage of AI's institutional impact.
Teaching Excellence
Empower faculty to leverage AI effectively while maintaining pedagogical integrity and academic standards.
Key Focus Areas:
- Develop clear guidelines for effective AI integration in pedagogy
- Create resources for AI-enhanced course design and assessment
- Support faculty in balancing AI tools with traditional teaching methods
- Establish frameworks for AI literacy across the curriculum
- Address concerns about AI's impact on critical thinking and learning
Student Success
Prepare students to thrive in an AI-enhanced world while maintaining academic integrity and developing essential human skills.
Key Focus Areas:
- Develop AI literacy competencies for all students
- Prepare students for AI-driven workplace expectations
- Promote critical thinking about AI's societal role and implications
- Ensure equitable access to AI tools and learning opportunities
- Create clear expectations for appropriate AI use in academic work
Ethical Leadership
Establish clear ethical frameworks and lead by example in responsible AI adoption.
Key Focus Areas:
- Establish transparent guidelines for responsible AI use
- Address privacy, security, and data protection concerns
- Consider equity and bias implications in AI systems
- Develop frameworks for AI-related academic integrity issues
- Create accountability structures for AI governance
Operational Innovation
Leverage AI to enhance institutional efficiency while maintaining security and human oversight.
Key Focus Areas:
- Identify opportunities for AI in administrative processes
- Implement AI solutions that enhance operational efficiency
- Ensure data security and privacy protection in all AI applications
- Maintain appropriate human oversight of AI-driven decisions
- Evaluate AI tools systematically before institutional adoption
Task Force Structure
A well-organized structure ensures representation, accountability, and sustainable momentum.
Leadership Team
Chair & Co-Chair
Responsibilities:
- Set strategic direction and coordinate overall task force activities
- Serve as primary liaisons with institutional leadership
- Facilitate main task force meetings and decision-making
- Monitor progress across all working groups
- Communicate task force activities and recommendations to stakeholders
Recommended Profiles: Senior faculty members or academic administrators with strong credibility, collaborative leadership style, and genuine interest in AI's educational potential.
Membership Models
Single-Campus Model
- 8-15 core members representing key stakeholder groups
- Representation from academic departments, student services, IT, library, administration
- Optional student representatives (2-3 students)
- Two-year staggered terms to maintain continuity
Multi-Campus System Model
- System-level coordinating task force (2 representatives per campus)
- Campus-level task forces at each location
- Staggered terms (initial terms of 1 or 3 years, then 2-year cycles)
- One campus rep should ideally chair their campus task force
- Monthly system meetings, more frequent campus meetings
Essential Stakeholder Groups
Faculty
Multiple disciplines, varied AI experience levels, including early adopters and skeptics
Information Technology
Security, infrastructure, tool evaluation, and technical implementation expertise
Library Services
Information literacy, research support, and AI tool evaluation perspective
Legal/Compliance
Policy development, risk management, and regulatory compliance guidance
Student Services
Student support, accessibility, and retention perspectives
Students
Direct user perspective, ethical concerns, and practical implementation feedback
Recruiting Members
Identify "AI Champions" on your campus by asking VPs, deans, or department chairs to recommend faculty and staff who have demonstrated interest in AI. Look for individuals who combine expertise with collaborative dispositions. Balance perspectives by including both AI enthusiasts and thoughtful skeptics.
Working Groups Framework
Distribute work effectively through focused working groups that report to the main task force.
Teaching & Learning Working Group
Core Responsibilities:
- Develop guidelines for AI integration in curriculum and instruction
- Create faculty training and professional development programs
- Research and share effective AI-enhanced pedagogical practices
- Develop frameworks for student learning assessment in AI-enhanced courses
- Address academic integrity challenges and solutions
Key Deliverables (First Year):
- Faculty AI Integration Guide with discipline-specific examples
- Professional development workshop series (minimum 3 sessions)
- AI-enhanced assessment framework and rubrics
- Repository of AI teaching use cases and lesson plans
Sample Meeting Agenda Items:
- Review faculty survey results on AI use and concerns
- Develop syllabus language templates for AI policies
- Identify pilot faculty for AI integration initiatives
- Plan faculty learning community on AI in education
Policy & Ethics Working Group
Core Responsibilities:
- Recommend institutional AI use policies and guidelines
- Address ethical considerations in AI adoption and use
- Develop frameworks for handling academic integrity cases involving AI
- Ensure privacy and data security in AI applications
- Consider equity and accessibility implications of AI tools
Key Deliverables (First Year):
- Institutional AI Ethics Charter
- AI Use Policy Recommendations (student and employee)
- Data Privacy and Security Guidelines for AI
- Academic Integrity Framework for AI Age
Sample Meeting Agenda Items:
- Review academic integrity cases involving AI
- Analyze AI policies from peer institutions
- Develop equity audit framework for AI tools
- Create decision tree for AI-related academic integrity issues
Operations & Technology Working Group
Core Responsibilities:
- Evaluate AI tools for institutional adoption
- Develop best practices for administrative AI applications
- Ensure technical infrastructure supports AI initiatives
- Address tool selection, procurement, and implementation
- Monitor AI trends and emerging technologies relevant to higher education
Key Deliverables (First Year):
- AI Tool Evaluation Rubric
- Institutional AI Infrastructure Assessment
- Recommended AI Tool List for Various Use Cases
- Quarterly Technology Trend Reports
Sample Meeting Agenda Items:
- Evaluate AI tool requests from departments
- Develop vetting process for AI vendors
- Assess accessibility compliance of AI tools
- Plan infrastructure upgrades to support AI initiatives
Working Group Best Practices
- Size: Keep groups small (4-8 members) for productivity
- Meetings: Meet monthly or bi-weekly with clear agendas
- Documentation: Maintain shared workspace with meeting notes and resources
- Reporting: Present updates to main task force monthly
- Collaboration: Encourage cross-group coordination on overlapping initiatives
12-Month Implementation Timeline
A realistic, phased approach to launching and sustaining your AI task force.
Foundation & Planning
Months 1-3
Month 1: Preparation
- Finalize task force proposal and secure administrative approval
- Identify and recruit task force chair and co-chair
- Develop member recruitment strategy and selection criteria
- Create communication plan for launching task force
Month 2: Formation
- Recruit and appoint task force members
- Hold inaugural task force meeting (establish norms, review mission)
- Form working groups and assign initial members
- Establish communication channels and shared workspace
- Conduct campus-wide needs assessment survey
Month 3: Planning
- Working groups hold first meetings and develop work plans
- Create detailed action plans for each working group
- Establish task force website or webpage
- Analyze needs assessment results and identify priorities
- Develop first semester deliverables timeline
Development & Initial Initiatives
Months 4-6
Core Activities:
- Teaching & Learning: Develop faculty AI integration guide (draft)
- Teaching & Learning: Launch first professional development workshop
- Policy & Ethics: Research peer institution policies and best practices
- Policy & Ethics: Draft AI Ethics Charter for campus feedback
- Operations: Create AI tool evaluation rubric
- Operations: Begin evaluating commonly requested AI tools
- All Groups: Build resource repository in collaboration with institutional partners
Communication:
- Launch task force newsletter (if applicable)
- Present at faculty senate or equivalent governance body
- Host open forum for campus community feedback
- Begin regular updates via institutional communication channels
Pilot Programs & Refinement
Months 7-9
Core Activities:
- Teaching & Learning: Launch pilot faculty cohort for AI integration
- Teaching & Learning: Deliver second round of professional development
- Policy & Ethics: Finalize AI use policy recommendations
- Policy & Ethics: Submit ethics charter for approval process
- Operations: Complete infrastructure assessment
- Operations: Implement pilot AI tools in select areas
- Begin collecting data for assessment and evaluation
Evaluation:
- Gather feedback from pilot participants
- Assess initial policy draft responses
- Conduct mid-year progress review with leadership
- Adjust working group priorities based on feedback
Scaling & Assessment
Months 10-12
Core Activities:
- Teaching & Learning: Expand professional development to broader faculty
- Teaching & Learning: Share pilot results and best practices
- Policy & Ethics: Implement approved policies and guidelines
- Policy & Ethics: Develop training on new policies
- Operations: Scale successful pilot tools to wider use
- Operations: Continue tool evaluation and recommendation process
Year-End Activities:
- Conduct comprehensive assessment of first-year impact
- Prepare annual report for institutional leadership
- Plan year two priorities based on lessons learned
- Recognize task force member contributions
- Recruit new members to replace completing terms
Timeline Customization
Adjust this timeline based on your institutional context. Smaller institutions might move faster; larger or multi-campus systems might need more time for certain phases. The key is maintaining momentum while ensuring quality work and genuine stakeholder engagement.
Resources & Templates
Ready-to-adapt templates and frameworks to accelerate your task force launch.
Proposal & Planning Templates
Task Force Proposal Template
Customizable proposal to pitch task force to institutional leadership. Includes rationale, structure, budget, and expected outcomes.
Member Recruitment Email Template
Professional email template for recruiting task force members, explaining expectations and time commitment.
Working Group Charter Template
Framework for defining working group scope, responsibilities, deliverables, and operating norms.
Assessment & Survey Tools
Faculty Needs Assessment Survey
Comprehensive survey to understand faculty AI use, concerns, training needs, and policy preferences.
Student AI Experience Survey
Survey to understand how students currently use AI, their concerns, and support needs.
Impact Assessment Framework
Rubric and methodology for evaluating task force impact on teaching, learning, and operations.
Policy & Guideline Templates
Sample AI Use Policy
Adaptable institutional AI use policy covering acceptable use, prohibited uses, and accountability.
Syllabus AI Statement Templates
Multiple versions of syllabus language for different AI permission levels, from prohibited to encouraged.
AI Ethics Charter Template
Framework for creating institutional AI ethics principles and values statement.
Operational Tools
AI Tool Evaluation Rubric
Comprehensive rubric for evaluating AI tools across security, privacy, accessibility, equity, cost, and pedagogical value.
Meeting Agenda & Minutes Templates
Standard formats for task force and working group meetings to ensure productive, documented sessions.
Stakeholder Presentation Deck
Adaptable presentation for introducing task force to various campus groups and soliciting feedback.
Accessing Templates
These templates will be made available as downloadable resources. Contact info@evolveaiinstitute.com to request specific templates or additional support in customizing them for your institution.
Measuring Success
Demonstrate impact and inform continuous improvement through systematic assessment.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Engagement Metrics
-
Faculty Participation:
- Number of faculty attending professional development sessions
- Percentage of departments represented in task force activities
- Growth in faculty AI literacy self-assessment scores
-
Student Reach:
- Number of students in courses with clear AI policies
- Student participation in AI literacy programs
- Student feedback satisfaction scores
-
Institutional Adoption:
- Number of approved AI tools and resources
- Departments implementing task force recommendations
- Integration of AI considerations into program reviews
Output Metrics
- Number of policies, guidelines, and frameworks developed
- Resources created and added to institutional repository
- Professional development sessions delivered
- Working group deliverables completed on schedule
- Pilot programs launched and assessed
Impact Metrics
-
Teaching Effectiveness:
- Faculty confidence in AI integration (pre/post surveys)
- Quality of AI-enhanced learning activities (peer review)
- Student learning outcomes in AI-enhanced courses
-
Policy Clarity:
- Reduction in AI-related academic integrity cases ambiguity
- Faculty/student understanding of AI policies (survey data)
- Consistency in policy application across departments
-
Institutional Advancement:
- Recognition as AI education leader (external visibility)
- Successful grant applications for AI initiatives
- Partnerships developed with other institutions or industry
Assessment Methods
Surveys
- Annual faculty AI use and attitude survey
- Student AI experience survey (integrated into existing instruments)
- Post-workshop evaluation forms
- Stakeholder satisfaction assessments
Focus Groups
- Faculty focus groups on implementation challenges
- Student perspectives on AI in their courses
- Department chair feedback sessions
- Early adopter success story interviews
Usage Data
- Attendance records for training sessions
- Resource repository access statistics
- Policy document download tracking
- AI tool adoption rates by department
Case Studies
- Document exemplary AI integration practices
- Analyze successful pilot program outcomes
- Study challenges and solutions in implementation
- Share lessons learned across institution
Annual Reporting Framework
Create a comprehensive annual report that includes:
- Executive Summary: High-level accomplishments and key metrics
- Working Group Highlights: Major deliverables and initiatives from each group
- Impact Evidence: Data demonstrating task force impact on teaching, learning, and operations
- Success Stories: Narrative examples of effective AI integration or policy implementation
- Challenges & Lessons: Honest assessment of obstacles and how they were addressed
- Future Priorities: Recommendations and goals for the coming year
- Resource Needs: Budget and support requirements for sustained success
Your Next Steps
Ready to establish your AI task force? Follow this action plan to get started.
Customize This Toolkit
Adapt the mission, vision, and structure to reflect your institution's unique context, values, and priorities. Consider your institutional size, culture, and existing governance structures.
- Review with key stakeholders for feedback
- Align language with your strategic plan
- Adjust timeline based on institutional calendar
Build Your Business Case
Use the proposal template to create a compelling case for leadership approval. Focus on addressing their priorities and concerns.
- Connect to institutional strategic priorities
- Highlight risks of inaction
- Present realistic resource requirements
- Show expected return on investment
Secure Leadership Support
Present your proposal to key decision-makers. Schedule meetings with the president/chancellor, provost, VPs, and deans as appropriate.
- Prepare executive summary (1-2 pages)
- Anticipate questions and concerns
- Request specific resources and authority
- Get commitment for member release time if needed
Recruit Your Team
Identify and invite task force chair, co-chair, and members. Look for diverse perspectives and collaborative attitudes.
- Ask VPs/deans to nominate "AI champions"
- Balance early adopters with thoughtful skeptics
- Ensure representation across stakeholder groups
- Communicate clear expectations and time commitment
Launch Strong
Hold an engaging inaugural meeting that builds excitement and sets clear direction.
- Welcome from institutional leader
- Review mission, vision, and structure
- Establish working groups and initial priorities
- Set meeting schedule and communication norms
- Conduct needs assessment planning
Maintain Momentum
Keep the task force energized and productive throughout the first year.
- Celebrate small wins publicly
- Communicate progress regularly to campus
- Address challenges proactively
- Keep meetings focused and productive
- Recognize member contributions
You've Got This!
Establishing an AI task force is a significant undertaking, but you don't have to figure it all out alone. This toolkit provides the framework; your institutional knowledge and commitment will make it successful. Start with what's most urgent for your context, build gradually, and remember that progress is more important than perfection.
Additional Support & Resources
Access more resources and connect with peers implementing AI task forces.
Ready to Launch Your AI Task Force?
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