AI Task Force

AY 2025–26 Task Force Goals

The AI Task Force has been charged with advancing the following strategic priorities for Academic Year 2025–2026. These objectives reflect the collective insights and recommendations developed by the Task Force’s working groups during Spring 2025.

1. CSUN AI Principles
In alignment with CSU’s AI guiding principles, develop CSUN-specific AI principles and guidelines for faculty, staff, and students.

2. AI Workshops
Design and deliver AI workshops in partnership with Faculty Development, Academic Technology, Human Resources, Research and Sponsored Projects, and Information Technology. Schedule sessions for Fall and beyond, targeting both faculty and staff.

3. Community Engagement
Leverage AI Task Force members as champions across Colleges, Departments, and Divisions to promote “lunch, learn, and share” events. These engagements can foster cross-college/division Communities of Interest.

4. AI Day / Symposium
Plan an AI Day or Symposium featuring pedagogy-focused presentations from faculty across colleges, AI vendors, students, administrators, and departments representing key areas such as equity and diversity, accessibility, sustainability, and security/privacy.

5. Student Town Halls
Partner with Student Senate leadership to host student town halls that gather feedback on AI usage, concerns, questions, and aspirations. Share insights with the AI Task Force to inform future planning.

6. AI Agent Deployment
Identify high-impact opportunities within each Division and College to develop and deploy AI agents that support teaching, learning, administration, and research. Collaborate with UA, RSP, and IT to explore funding options and implement solutions using strategic campus-supported AI platforms.

7. AI Research Infrastructure
Explore opportunities to fund, develop, and support access to AI research infrastructure (e.g., cloud HPC, GPUs, models) to enable smaller-scale, cross-college faculty research initiatives.

Membership AY 2025-2026

Teaching & Learning

Name Affiliation Dept College
Jimmy Gandhi Faculty (Co-Lead) Manufacturing Systems Engineering & Management Anagnost College of Engineering & Computer Science
Deone Zell Faculty (Co-Lead) Management Faculty Senate President Recommendation
Jane Rosenthal Dieken Assistant Dean for Program Development Tseng College Tseng College
Sheba Lo Faculty Africana Studies Social & Behavioral Sciences
Jorge Balbas Faculty Mathematics Science & Mathematics
Sheena Malhotra Faculty Gender & Women's Studies Humanities
Moira Saltzman Faculty Linguistics / TESL Humanities
Shally Juarez Faculty Art & Design Mike Curb College of Arts, Media & Communication
Anne Choi Assistant Vice President for Faculty Programs and Initiatives Academic Affairs N/A
Zeina Otaky Ramirez Associate Dean of Students & Director, Student Conduct & Ethical Development Student Affairs N/A
Freddie Sanchez AVP for Student Affairs, Equity & Inclusion Student Affairs N/A
Helen Heinrich AVP for Academic Technology Information Technology N/A
Paul Lazarony  AVP for Undergraduate Studies  Undergraduate Studies N/A
Lisa Cheby Librarian Research, Instruction & Outreach Services University Library
Ian Carroll Web Developer Education / Dean's Office Michael D. Eisner College of Education
Jimmy Shereazad Gandhi Department Chair Manufacturing Systems, Engineering & Management Engineering & Computer Science
Jenn Wolfe Faculty Secondary Education Michael D. Eisner College of Education
Michael Biel Faculty Communication Disorders & Science College of Health & Human Development

 

Research

Name Affiliation Dept College
Deone Zell Faculty (Co-Lead) Management Faculty Senate President Recommendation
Marjan Asadinia Faculty (Co-Lead) Computer Science Engineering & Computer Science
Nelida Duran Faculty Family Consumer Sciences Health & Human Development
Ellie Kazemi Faculty Psychology Social & Behavioral Sciences
Mariano A Loza Coll Faculty Biology Science & Mathematics
Joy Borah Vice Provost Academic Affairs N/A
Amy Levin AVP for Graduate Studies Academic Affairs N/A
Shellie Hadvina AVP for Development & Alumni Relations University Advancement N/A
Heather Cribbs Librarian Collection Access & Management Services N/A
Edward Kung Faculty Economics David Nazarian College of Business & Economics

 

Administration & Operations

Name Affiliation Dept College
Pouyan Eslami Faculty (Co-Lead) Systems & Operations Management David Nazarian College of Business & Economics
Edith Winterhalter AVP for Budget & Strategic Business Operations (Co-Lead) Administration & Finance N/A
Jordan Jannone Instructional Technologist / Designer Tseng College Tseng College
Ian Carroll Web Developer Education / Dean's Office Michael D. Eisner College of Education
Gretchen Macchiarella Faculty Journalism Mike Curb College of Arts, Media & Communication
Abhishek Verma Faculty Computer Science Faculty Senate President Recommendation
Paul Schantz Director, Web & Technology Services Student Affairs N/A
Kristina de la Vega AVP for Human Resources Administration & Finance N/A
Ryan Conlogue AVP for Information Technology Information Technology N/A