MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University faculty, staff and administrators are invited to a Nov. 17 forum exploring artificial intelligence use across campus, including opportunities for adoption, institutional responsibilities and data protection.

The event, titled “AI at MTSU: Opportunities, Responsibilities, and Data Protection,” will take place from 2 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, in Room 102 in the Applied Engineering Building. The forum is part of the university’s Grad-AI Exchange Series and will feature a moderated discussion with leaders from the divisions of Information Technology, Business and Finance, and Academic Affairs.

University Provost Mark Byrnes will provide opening remarks before a panel featuring Yvette Clark, vice president for information technology and chief information officer; Rudy Dunlap, 2026-27 provost faculty fellow and professor in the Department of Sport and Hospitality Management; Drew Harpool, vice president for business and finance; and Tyler Henson, assistant vice provost for registration and student records and university registrar.

Sam Zaza, associate professor of information systems and analytics and Faculty Fellow for Innovation, will moderate the discussion and facilitate an audience question-and-answer session.

Panelists will address topics including data classification, ethical AI use, university AI initiatives, potential risks of sharing sensitive institutional information, data ownership and compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, more commonly known as FERPA. The discussion will also cover Information Technology’s efforts to support responsible AI adoption, including an upcoming Canvas training course and attestation process.

The forum is open to all MTSU faculty, staff and administrators. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP online and submit questions in advance to help shape the panel discussion.

“The Grad-AI Exchange Series helps faculty evaluate AI tools, develop practical teaching strategies and explore responsible applications within their disciplines,” said Racha El Kadiri, associate dean of the College of Graduate Studies. “This forum brings faculty and staff into direct conversation with university leaders about AI’s opportunities, data protection and institutional responsibilities.”

MTSU has received 30 course submissions in its first Grad-AI designation cycle. The designation recognizes meaningful, responsible AI integration in graduate instruction, and the university is also developing a faculty resource library.

“The Grad-AI website connects these efforts, providing information on course designation, exchange events and opportunities to participate,” El Kadiri said. “Together, we are supporting faculty and preparing graduates to apply AI effectively, evaluate its outputs critically and exercise ethical judgment in their fields.”

Learn more about MTSU’s Grad-AI initiative at https://www.mtsu.edu/graduate/grad-ai/.

— Karli Sutton ([email protected])