AI Revolutionizes Higher Education: Focus on Equity and Student Success

Higher education institutions are increasingly integrating AI technology into their classrooms, with the potential to significantly impact teaching and learning, technology, cybersecurity, and data privacy. To embrace AI and promote equitable student success, educators should prioritize people, not technology, in decision-making processes. Elon University in North Carolina has developed six principles to guide institutions in implementing AI, emphasizing the importance of putting students' academic needs first.

The Community College of Aurora is implementing AI in its enrollment management to support student retention and completion. The academy has formed an AI task force to develop guidelines for equity and inclusion in the classroom, framing AI as a learning tool rather than a punitive one. This approach has led to a 4% increase in fall and an 11% increase in spring enrollments.

Faculty integrating AI into teaching have reported deeper engagement among students, leading to improved course success rates. The college's first multi-language AI chatbot, Professor Fox, has also significantly improved website visitor retention and navigation metrics. As the higher education marketplace evolves with deeper AI integration, so should the student experience. This will help institutions capture new students and retain current ones, advancing equitable student success.