CSUN AI Task Force
Preparing for a Transformational Future
Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant concept; it is already reshaping workplaces, education and daily life. Even as we acknowledge the concerns related to the use of AI, at CSUN, a newly created Task Force on AI is tackling both the opportunities and challenges this fast-moving technology presents.
The task force is co-led by Mariappan Jawaharlal (also known as “Dr. Jawa”), Associate Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs, and Chris Olsen, Technology Strategy Officer on the IT Leadership team. Together, they are guiding a broad campus conversation that includes faculty, staff, administrators and students.
Olsen describes the Task Force as an effort to “collect a common voice from students, faculty, staff, administrators—representing the institution—and identify the opportunities, interests and concerns within each of our spaces around teaching and learning, research, administration and operations.” Responsible use, equitable access and environmental impact being front of mind for many, he adds.
The urgency is clear. “We’re up against a race of time,” Olsen notes. “This is a transformational technology that races past us outside of education. Are we preparing our students for the real world once they leave CSUN?” He frames the stakes as a kind of tug of war: On one side, the rapid acceleration of AI developments outside academia; on the other, the need for CSUN to responsibly prepare graduates for jobs that will certainly involve AI—or, in some cases, jobs that may change drastically because of it.
Dr. Jawa emphasizes that AI must be approached not as a single tool, but as a new literacy. “It can free faculty from the drudgery of routine tasks like grading,” he explains, “allowing them to focus on creativity, mentorship and human connection with students.” For students, he sees AI as a pathway to individualized learning, where pace, style and depth can be tailored in ways that were previously not available. And for researchers, AI can accelerate discovery by handling repetitive tasks, leaving more room for insight and imagination.
The task force began its work in Spring 2025, organizing three working groups: research, teaching and learning, and administration and operations. Each is co-chaired by a combination of faculty and administrators, and Olsen notes that membership includes “representation from every college and division, as well as Student Senate”, noting that there is a particular interest in capturing student voice.
Outcomes from the Spring 2025 Task Force meetings have already shaped the group’s goals for this next academic year, 2025-2026, a key priority being the development of CSUN-specific guiding principles for AI use. While the CSU system has issued broad recommendations, CSUN would benefit from a set of principles grounded in the lived experience of its own community.
Training and engagement will also be central. Rather than relying solely on online materials, the Task Force envisions faculty teaching faculty and students training students and staff educating staff, in in-person workshops and communities of practice. These experiences will showcase practical use cases while encouraging ethical and thoughtful adoption.
For Dr. Jawa, the cultural shift is as important as the technical one. “The challenge now is not whether we will use AI — that’s not even the question anymore,” he says. “The question is how wisely we will use it, with purpose, with guardrails for integrity, and with training for faculty and students.
“I'm an engineer,” he continues, “I use all kinds of tools. And every tool is dangerous, when you walk into a workshop. I would like to approach AI with the same caution. When you use it properly, a tool increases your efficiency many, many fold. It also makes possible things that were never possible before.” He hopes to cultivate a campus culture that treats AI as a partner in curiosity, not a shortcut.
For both co-leads, the long-term goal is clear: ensure that every CSUN graduate is AI-informed, AI-ready and prepared to thrive in a workforce transformed by this technology.
As Olsen puts it, “There is immense opportunity here to drive positive change. If we embrace AI responsibly and ethically, we can prepare our students not just for today’s jobs, but for the future that is unfolding before us.”
CSUN AI Task Force: Three Focus Areas
Teaching & Learning
AI supports individualized pathways for students—different paces, styles and depths of learning—while reducing routine tasks like grading. As Dr. Jawa explains, this shift frees faculty for “creativity, mentorship and human connection.”
Research
By managing repetitive work and surfacing hidden patterns, AI can accelerate discovery. Faculty gain more time for insight, imagination and innovation.
Administration & Operations
The task force is exploring how AI can streamline processes, improve services and expand equitable access to resources across the university.
“AI should be treated as a partner in curiosity, not a shortcut.” —Dr. Mariappan Jawaharlal