ResoLute Fall 2026 Opening Note
Lutes ask the tough questions about AI
By Bridget Yaden, P.h.D.
Vice Provost for Student Success and Academics
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the global landscape, but at Pacific Lutheran University, our response is distinct: we don’t simply adopt, we interrogate. Driven by ethical leadership and a mission of care, Lutes are asking what machine learning means for education, vocation, human dignity, and environmental sustainability.
These tough questions were placed front and center in our 2025–2026 University Strategies. PLU leadership approved a framework establishing principles for the ethical, responsible, and human-centered use of AI, outlining core values and acceptable applications for faculty, staff, and students.
Academic unit reports reveal how deeply faculty are wrestling with these complexities. PLU is proactively building tech literacy — from computer science to music — while adapting inclusive pedagogy to safeguard authentic learning. Faculty are leaning into Transparent Design in Learning and Teaching (TILT) and authentic assessments, emphasizing active classroom discussion and depth over breadth.
True to form, our students are also engaging in these difficult conversations. A group of enterprising students recently met with the Academic Performance and Integrity Committee (APIC) to ask tough questions about the university’s institutional thinking around AI and academic honesty. These students exemplify the core practice of “thoughtful inquiry” that rests at the center of our mission.
To centralize this campus-wide dialogue, PLU has launched a new digital hub. We invite our global alumni network to engage with our ongoing research, student initiatives, and community updates by visiting www.plu.edu/ai.
The technological frontier will continue to shift, but the core of a PLU education remains unchanged. Grounded in curiosity and care, Lutes will continue to ask the tough questions, ensuring that the future we build places human dignity firmly at the center.
Sincerely,
Bridget Yaden P.h.D.
Vice Provost for Student Success and Academics
