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A Human Approach to AI in Higher Education at Roberts Wesleyan University
By Patrick Glantz, Director of Instructional Technology & Training at Roberts Wesleyan University
I began my journey at Roberts Wesleyan University in 2006 as a freshman. By 2008, I was working in the IT department while pursuing my degree, and I’ve stayed with IT ever since. 17 years later, I often reflect on how technology on campus has evolved, especially as we see how quickly AI is now making an impact on education. The landscape of higher education has changed dramatically over time. From academics and research to administration and community engagement, artificial intelligence is reshaping our work. We're seeing rapidly evolving iterations of AI that are not only getting ‘smarter’ but also accelerating innovation; I’m genuinely excited about its potential to enhance both the student experience and operational efficiency at Roberts Wesleyan.
What we’re capable of in the classroom and across campus is expanding. But amidst this growth, our commitment remains clear: we must take a human-first approach to AI.
Right now, there's a wide range of understanding among faculty, staff, and students about how AI works and how it should be used in educational settings. Common questions arise: How are students using AI? What are best practices? What should we avoid? How does it align with our Christian values and institutional ethics? What we’re discovering is that students are already arriving with a baseline familiarity with AI. They're comfortable exploring and applying it, often intuitively. Still, we need shared guardrails across campus and focus on AI literacy. This is why we’ve established an AI Task Force made up of experts from diverse departments and disciplines. We expect to roll out our first set of university-wide AI guidelines this fall, while recognizing that constant review systems must exist to adapt to the ever-changing nature of AI and how it’s being utilized.
At Roberts, we’re careful to emphasize that AI is not an all-knowing answer machine—it’s a collaborator. Think of AI as an extra team member in a group project. It’s that really smart friend who can help brainstorm and refine ideas, but who sometimes still gets things wrong.
From a Christian perspective, we believe that human beings are created in the image of God. We carry the responsibility and privilege of shaping the world around us. While AI is a remarkable tool, it is just that—a tool. It is not the creator. We are. This is why our approach must center on using AI to amplify the human experience, not replace it. We encourage students to integrate AI into their creative processes, but never to outsource thinking or learning to it. It’s essential to remain engaged, thoughtfully analyzing, creating, refining, and using AI to extend those efforts, not shortcut them.
AI is evolving quickly. I regularly meet with consultants and explore emerging technologies, and no matter how familiar I think I am with these tools, something new always surprises me. The possibilities for higher education are only expanding, and we’re just getting started.
For colleagues across campus, here is my advice: think creatively and prompt intentionally. Understanding how AI processes information helps us get better results. The quality of your prompt determines the quality of the response. In many ways, AI is like a genie in a lamp—it gives you exactly what you ask for, not necessarily what you were looking for. So clarity, context, and creativity are key.
Just as important: always review what AI generates. Even the smartest tools can make mistakes. AI might be that really smart friend, but it still makes mistakes. Use it. Experiment with it. But always apply thoughtful judgment along the way.
While these reflections are rooted in my experience in higher education, they apply to any industry. AI holds extraordinary promise, but only when guided by thoughtful, ethical, and human-centered use.
As we move forward, let’s embrace AI with curiosity and care. Let’s experiment boldly, but remain grounded in our values. The future of education is bright, and AI will play a pivotal role—but it’s up to us to determine how we use it.
Read in the Rochester Business Journal.
Patrick Glantz is the Director of Instructional Technology & Training at Roberts Wesleyan University. He’s been part of the University’s IT team for nearly 20 years. He is a graduate of the University.
