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NSHE IT leaders urge caution, guidance on campus use of AI; flag note‑taking tools and bias risks
Summary
NSHE's chief information officer told regents AI adoption should be guided by policies and training that protect data privacy and reduce bias; recommended actions include a systemwide directive on data protection, institution‑level AI literacy programs and an NSHE AI summit.
NSHE’s chief information officer briefed the Board of Regents on Jan. 9 about systemic risks and opportunities from artificial intelligence and urged the system to adopt coordinated guidance rather than one‑off reactions. Anne Milkovich, NSHE chief information officer, said the system is “not ahead of the pack but not behind” higher education peers and presented a framework that treats AI as (1) generative tools (content creation), (2) analytical tools (data analysis), and (3) decision AI (automated decision systems) — the last category posing the greatest risk.
Milkovich described examples where AI can help campuses (automating routine work, analyzing large datasets, improving accessibility) and where risks are acute: decision systems that rank job applicants can reproduce bias, and “AI note‑takers” that transcribe meetings without clear ownership can create privacy and open‑meeting vulnerabilities. She recounted an instance when an automated note service joined a meeting and later emailed a full transcript to attendees — raising concerns about who controlled the data and whether attendees knew it was being captured.
Her recommendations to regents and presidents included: require privacy reviews and data‑protection checks for AI services; issue system guidance (not necessarily a new law) that ensures AI tools are addressed in existing privacy and procurement policies; a systemwide program of AI literacy and training for faculty, staff and students; create proofs‑of‑concept for high‑value, low‑risk AI use cases; inventory third‑party services to identify hidden AI; and host an NSHE AI summit to share campus best practices.
Regents asked about the effect on academic integrity and teaching; Milkovich said institutions are updating syllabi and academic policies and urged transparent, faculty‑led decisions on whether and when students may use generative tools. She also said NSHE’s IT councils and general counsel are coordinating with the Governor’s Office on similar state guidance and that campuses will be asked to document AI use cases and procurement details.
Milkovich urged targeted caution — “knowledge is strength” — and said the system should protect data and incorporate ethics and bias‑mitigation into procurement, while not halting experimentation where risk and governance are appropriate.
