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AI at Middlebury

AI Task Force

In fall 2023, President Laurie Patton appointed a task force of faculty, staff, students, administrators, and trustees to consider the potential impacts of generative AI technologies. The group was asked to explore how these rapidly advancing technologies could shape higher education and disrupt or advance how we prepare students to address the world’s most challenging problems. While grappling with the impacts of these technologies, the group considered opportunities for Middlebury to lead, whether within the context of Middlebury’s liberal arts curriculum and globally-focused professional programs, our world-renowned research and research centers, or our immersive and engaging student life experiences.

In its first year, the task force was charged with envisioning how Middlebury can lead in implementing AI responsibly to benefit our academic community. The group’s work included:

  • Connecting core institutional values to AI
  • Establishing responsible standards related to AI
  • Identifying innovative AI uses to enhance Middlebury’s education, research, and student engagement
  • Developing goals for AI leadership that Middlebury’s strengths in data/digital literacy, communication, conflict transformation, global security, environmental work
  • Creating an initial framework for AI and Data Literacy
  • Considering and share our views how AI impacts the importance and value of a global liberal arts education

Progress was made on all areas of work, and the task force’s work will continue into the 2024-2025 academic year and beyond. 

2023-2024 Members (alphabetical by last name, only listing affiliation with Middlebury)

Philipp Bleek, Professor, Non-Proliferation and Terrorism Studies

Brooke Clarke, Middlebury College student, Sociology major Linguistics minor

Amy Collier, Associate Provost for Digital Learning

Parker Harris, ‘89, Trustee

George Lee, ‘88, Trustee

Michael Linderman, Asst. Professor of Computer Science

Katie Macalintal, Middlebury College student, Computer Science major

Michelle McCauley, Executive VP and Provost, Professor of Psychology

Caitlin Myers, John G. McCullough Professor of Economics 

Chris Norris, Vice President for Information Technology

Laurie Patton, President

Sunder Ramaswamy, Distinguished Professor of International Economics

Allison Stanger, Russell Leng ‘60 Prof of Intl Politics & Economics

Ian Stewart, Executive Director, CNS in DC

Da Sun, Middlebury Institute Student, Translation & Localization Management program