8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. 

Coffee Station Opens + Check In

Location: STEM second floor mezzanine

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9:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.

AI & Learning: Student Voices Panel 

Location: STEM Building, Room 202

This panel brings together students from across disciplines at VCU for an open conversation about AI in higher education. Students will share their experiences, expectations, and concerns, and reflect on the broader academic context surrounding the use of AI tools.

Moderator

• Kamilia Rahmouni, Ph.D., Associate Professor, School of World Studies

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9:45 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Break 

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10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Opening Remarks and Keynote

Location: STEM Building, Room 202

Opening Remarks

• Catherine Ingrassia, Ph.D., Dean, College of Humanities and Sciences
• Andrew Arroyo, Ph.D., Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, and Interim Dean of University College; Professor, Educational Leadership

Keynote

• Introduction of keynote speaker by Marcus Messner, Ph.D., Associate Dean, College of Humanities and Sciences. 
• C. Edward Watson, Ph.D., Vice President for Digital Innovation, American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U)

Academic Integrity and AI: Practical Strategies to Positively Impact Cheating and Student Learning

While many institutions are grappling with curricular reform efforts around AI Literacy, a recent AAC&U survey of faculty revealed that academic integrity and cheating continue to be the primary concerns of those in the classroom. While the challenges presented by AI in terms of academic integrity are thorny, there are practical steps faculty can take to decrease the probability students will choose to cheat in their course. This session will discuss the options, including the efficacy of AI detection solutions, and provide a portfolio of strategies that can positively impact students’ behaviors regarding cheating.

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11:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

Break

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11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Roundtable Sessions: Assignments, Projects and Instructional Strategies

Location: STEM Building, Room 202

Moderated by

• Amy Rector, Ph.D., Associate Dean, CHS and Virginia Totaro, VCU General Education

These faculty roundtable sessions bring together presenters from across VCU and CHS to share current teaching strategies, assignment design, assessment models, and lessons learned, while also previewing plans for the Spring 2026 semester. Courses highlighted include those in the CHS Minor in AI Studies in Humanities and Sciences as well as offerings aligned with the Gen Ed curriculum.

Participants will engage in structured 20 minute small group rotations, meeting with one presenter at a time before moving to the next table. Discussions may feature applied examples such as “backwards design” strategies, implementation of Gen Ed rubrics across variable class sizes, integration of AI tools to meet specific learning goals, and collaborative brainstorming around assignment refinement. Each table will provide access to slides, rubrics, and sample materials, ensuring that ideas shared during discussion translate into practical resources faculty can implement in their own courses.

AI Teaching Summit Tables (1–6)

• Table 1: Joshua Smith, Ph.D., Special Assistant to the Dean, Curricular Innovation and AI Initiatives, College of Humanities and Sciences (Course: HUMS 204 AI Literacy)
• Table 2: Oliver Speck, Ph.D., Associate Professor, English (Course: NEXT 275 AI, Texts and Cultures)
• Table 3: Scott Witthaus, Adjunct Professor, Robertson School (Course: MASC 314 Storytelling with AI)
• Table 4: Jamie Fritz, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Philosophy (Upcoming graduate course)
• Table 5: Andrew Indelicato, Assistant Professor in the Center for Creative Economy + University College (Course: IDST 370 Practical AI Synthesis)
• Table 6: Elena Olson, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Information Systems, VCU School of Business (Course: BUSN 320 AI in Business)

GenEd Symposium Tables (7–12)

• Table 7: Christian Horlick and William Notter, Associate Professors, Focused Inquiry (Communicative Fluency)
• Table 8: Meriah Crawford, Professor, Focused Inquiry (Information Literacy)
• Table 9: Andrew Marx, Associate Professor, Focused Inquiry (Ethical Reasoning)
• Table 10: Joseph Battistelli, Associate Professor, Biology (Problem-Solving)
• Table 11: Kristina Anthony, Associate Professor, Mathematics (Quantitative Literacy)
• Table 12: Hilary Levinson, Associate Professor, Focused Inquiry and Assistant Director, Humanities Research Center (Global and Cultural Responsiveness)

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1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.

Lunch Provided

Location: STEM Building, second floor

From 1:30-2:00,  the VCU Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs present The Gen Ed Teaching Awards in STEM room 216, a celebration of excellence in general education teaching. These awards recognize faculty who demonstrate exceptional commitment, innovation, and effectiveness in supporting student learning and advancing program goals. The program also includes the Assignment Alignment Award, honoring a faculty member who has designed an outstanding assignment that meaningfully integrates and applies core learning outcomes.

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2:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.

Concurrent Session, Block I

Session I A: AI is not the Problem - Readiness is.

Location: STEM Building, Room 112

This workshop is offered by the nonprofit organization AI Ready RVA and will provide foundational information on preparing the workforce, students and participants for the future of AI.

Facilitator

• William Willis, Chair, AI Ready RVA

Moderator

• Josh Smith, Ph.D., CHS

Session I B: Empowering Students with Notebook LM - Smart Engagement with Course Content

Location: STEM Building, Room 110

What if students could truly interact with their learning materials instead of just reading them? NotebookLM makes that possible. In this workshop hosted by LED Studio, learn how this tool helps students analyze, synthesize, and generate insights from their own sources—creating personalized, transparent learning experiences that promote deeper understanding and academic ownership.

Facilitator

• LED Studio 

Moderator

• Marcus Messner, PhD, Associate Dean, CHS

Session I C: Laying the Groundwork - Creating a Gen AI Policy for Your Course Syllabus

Location: STEM Building, Room 503

Clearly communicating your expectations around generative AI use in your course(s) is more important than ever. This interactive workshop, offered by the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE), builds on prior conversations about Gen AI in teaching and learning, with a focus on developing syllabus policies that align with your instructional goals and course design. Faculty will work through examples and guided activities to create-- or refine-- Gen AI syllabus policy language that fits their courses and instructional priorities. By the end of the session, participants will have draft policies they can refine and use, along with strategies for communicating Gen AI expectations to students.

Facilitators

• Susan Coombes, Ph.D,. Assistant Vice Provost and Director, Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE)
• Hope Kelly, Ph.D., Online Learning Librarian, VCU Libraries

Moderator

• Amy Rector, Ph.D., Associate Dean, College of Humanities and Sciences

Session I D: ConnectED - Progress and Momentum Forward

Location: STEM Building, Room 202

Join this session for an inspiring session as we celebrate the collective impact of our general education community. We’ll kick off introducing Virginia Wray Totaro, inaugural Director of General Education, sharing the vision and strategic direction for her new role, followed by an assessment update from the Assessment, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness team. We will also preview the upcoming Gen Ed Recertification process and hear reports from the Gen Ed Council on their innovative projects from the past year. Come celebrate our shared successes and see how your teaching continues to shape the Gen Ed experience.

Facilitator

• Angela P. Wetzel, Ph.D., Director, Office of Data Analytics, School of Education

Moderator

• Virginia Totaro, VCU General Education 

Session I E: GenAI’s Impact on How Students Seek, Evaluate, and Use Information for Research

Location: STEM Building, Room 603

This session by the VCU Libraries team explores how generative AI is reshaping student research practices and provides library-supported strategies for navigating these shifts in the classroom. Presenters will give examples of using GenAI responsibly to advance learning and examples of steering students away from GenAI uses that hinder learning. 

Facilitator

• VCU Libraries team

Moderator

• TBD

Session I F: Decoding AI policy, security and privacy

Location: STEM 303

This workshop examines the current state of AI policy at VCU and beyond. Participants will learn how institutional guidelines intersect with national conversations on data protection, security, and privacy. The session will highlight what is currently known about VCU’s processes for adopting AI tools and the safeguards in place to support responsible use. Practical takeaways will help faculty and staff evaluate tools, protect sensitive information, and align their work with emerging expectations. 

Facilitators

• John Skaritza, CHS director of technology and computer support
• Peyton Burgess, Ph.D., AI & Emerging Technologies Program Manager office of the CIO

Moderator

• TBD

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3:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Break

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3:30 p.m. - 4:30p.m.

Concurrent Sessions, Block II

Session II A: The AI Landscape 

Location: STEM Building, Room 112

This workshop is offered by the nonprofit organization AI Ready RVA and will be providing information on how AI is shaping career pathways, diving into the AI Landscape assessment by Virginia Chamber of Commerce and providing an overview of the AI Literacy Framework published by the U.S. Department of Labor. 

Facilitator

• William Willis, Chair, AI Ready RVA

Moderator

• Joshua Smith, Ph.D., CHS

Session II B: Integrity by Design - Values, Transparency, and Assignment Redesign in an AI World

Location: STEM Building, Room 110

As generative AI changes how students complete academic work, many traditional assignments and assessments need to be reconsidered. This interactive workshop , facilitated by LED Studio, helps faculty identify integrity pressure points in their courses and apply practical redesign strategies that make student thinking, process, and decision-making more visible. Participants will explore how course and assessment design can better support integrity, transparency, and learning in an AI environment. The session will also invite faculty to reflect on their own approach to AI use and consider how classroom norms, trust, and individual choices influence the ways students engage with AI in academic work.

Facilitator

• LED Studio

Moderator

• Marcus Messner, PhD, Associate Dean, CHS

Session II C: Designing AI-Ready Syllabi - Policy, Practice, and Implementation in CHS

Location: STEM Building, Room 503

This workshop overviews a practical syllabus policy design for CHS faculty. Participants will explore AI policy options, ethical considerations, and approved tools while developing AI syllabus statements. The session outlines implementation processes, enforcement strategies, and resources to support transparent, consistent integration of AI policies across CHS courses.  

Facilitators

• James Fritz, Associate Professor, Philosophy
• Kamilia Rahmouni, Ph.D., Associate Professor, School of World Studies

Moderator

• Amy Rector, Ph.D., Associate Dean, CHS

Session II D: ConnectEd - Faculty Learning Communities Showcase Event

Location: STEM Building, Room 202

The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence was able to support five Faculty Learning Communities over the course of the 2025-26 academic year.  This FLC Showcase event is designed to provide an opportunity for each of the FLCs to share with the VCU community what they have learned and achieved on their respective journeys. Focus areas of the session are a) two FLCs on inclusive teaching in large enrollment courses; b) Teaching and learning in general education courses; c) integrating transformative learning experiences in general education courses; d) reimagining the classroom with service learning.

Facilitator

• Zachary Goodell, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Undergraduate Program Director, Department of Sociology 

Moderator

• Virginia Wray Totaro, Director of General Education, Academic Affairs

Session II E: Hack My Assignment - Adjusting Research Assignments for the Generative AI Environment

Location: STEM Building, Room 603

This session by the VCU Libraries team, which is limited to 20 participants, will help faculty learn practical techniques and receive direct support for research assignments where nonexistent citations and other signs of inappropriate generative AI use are becoming more common in student work. We will begin with a brief overview of strategies to adapt assignments, whether incorporating or limiting AI. Most of the session will focus on revising or reinventing assignments that you bring. Join us and leave with ready-to-use improvements.

Facilitator

• Julie Arendt, MSI, Science and Engineering Research Librarian, Associate Professor, VCU Libraries

Moderator

• TBD

Session II F: Decoding AI policy, security and privacy

Location: STEM Building, Room 303

This workshop examines the current state of AI policy at VCU and beyond. Participants will learn how institutional guidelines intersect with national conversations on data protection, security, and privacy. The session will highlight what is currently known about VCU’s processes for adopting AI tools and the safeguards in place to support responsible use. Practical takeaways will help faculty and staff evaluate tools, protect sensitive information, and align their work with emerging expectations.  

Facilitators

• John Skaritza, CHS director of technology and computer support
• Peyton Burgess, PhD, AI & Emerging Technologies Program Manager office of the CIO

Moderator

• TBD

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4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Reception 

Location: STEM Building, second floor