As AI use spreads across campus, institutions need a clear way to decide which projects move beyond the pilot stage and who is responsible for those decisions. Panelists will compare approaches to oversight and scaling, including how academic, administrative, and technology teams can work together. The conversation will address responsible use policies, visibility into the tools employees use, data privacy, and security safeguards that support useful innovation.

Higher education IT leaders face rising service demands with limited budgets and hard-to-fill positions. Panelists will discuss how institutions rank competing requests, make better use of existing investments, and decide where scarce staff time will have the greatest effect. They will consider the full cost of AI, from licenses and infrastructure to support and training, and ways to make a stronger case for investments that improve campus operations.

Moving from customized legacy systems to SaaS requires institutions to rethink processes as well as platforms. Panelists will examine ERP selection, migration, and data cleanup, including the complications of complex academic terms and student systems at community colleges. The discussion will explore the shift from customization to configuration, the role of subject matter experts in IT and business units, and how AI capabilities influence enterprise system decisions.

A developing incident involving an AI tool and a critical enterprise system puts campus services and sensitive data at risk. In this interactive exercise, attendees will work through three stages at their tables, responding to new information and weighing choices about containment, communication, continuity, and recovery. Facilitators will bring operational and security perspectives to the debrief as participants compare decisions and identify gaps in their response plans.

Major system changes can alter jobs that staff have held for many years. Panelists will share approaches to assessing skills and interests, preparing employees for new responsibilities, and communicating change without creating unnecessary anxiety. The discussion will look at upskilling, support for managers, and the experience of people who use and deliver campus services.

Three presenters will share practical AI applications relevant to campus work. Each example will cover the problem addressed, how the approach was implemented, what results emerged, and what other institutions might adapt. A moderated discussion will connect the examples to the priorities raised throughout the day.

Conference times, agenda, and speakers are subject to change.

For current updates, please visit the Center for Digital Education website at events.govtech.com