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St. Bonaventure University

Artificial Intelligence at Bona's


St. Bonaventure University is embracing artificial intelligence as a transformative tool for learning, research, and community engagement. Our approach centers on ethical innovation: advancing academic excellence while upholding the Franciscan values of compassion, reflection, and responsible stewardship.

Dr. Jeff Gingerich, University President


鈥淭o remain competitive and deliver an exceptional experience for students, faculty and staff, St. Bonaventure must not simply adopt AI tools 鈥 it must instill ethical use of them.鈥

Academic Innovation


Integrating AI Across the Curriculum

The university has approved new AI-focused courses in Computer Science and Philosophy and is collaborating with a consortium to develop AI Literacy and Applied AI programs as majors, minors, or concentrations. AI-related curriculum updates have been implemented across most academic disciplines, supported by $50,000 in funded AI curriculum projects this academic year. On the student-support side, we launched Ocelot, our AI chatbot known as 鈥淎sk Reilly鈥 on my.sbu.edu, providing 24/7 assistance to enhance engagement, address routine inquiries, and streamline staff workloads. Additionally, a ChatGPT EDU pilot involving 300 students, faculty, and staff is now underway, offering access to one of the most secure and effective large language model platforms available.

  • Ethical Leadership and Governance


    Franciscan Values in a Digital Age

    St. Bonaventure continues to ground its use of artificial intelligence in strong ethical frameworks that prioritize privacy, data integrity, and responsible innovation. Through a Mission Integration lens, the university emphasizes using technology to serve others, advance the common good, and reflect our Franciscan values. Faculty across Philosophy, Theology, and Education are actively collaborating to examine the moral and societal impacts of AI, ensuring that innovation remains thoughtful and reflective.

    Compass-style infographic of ethical & Franciscan principles guiding artificial intelligence use.
  • The Presidential Commission on Artificial Intelligence


    Guiding the Future of AI at Bona's

    In October 2025, President Jeff Gingerich established the Presidential Commission on Artificial Intelligence to provide strategic guidance on the academic, operational, and ethical integration of AI across the university. The commission was created to ensure that St. Bonaventure remains proactive, responsible, and mission-aligned as emerging technologies continue to transform higher education.

    The commission鈥檚 work centers on several key focus areas: academic integration, governance and ethics, faculty and staff capacity, operational efficiency, and its ongoing advisory role to the President. Together, these priorities guide a comprehensive approach to AI that supports innovation while upholding the university鈥檚 values and long-term strategic goals.

    Commission Membership:

    • Dr. Mike Hoffman, co-chair, dean of the School of Graduate Studies, associate provost, and chief information officer
    • Dr. Dave Hilmey, co-chair, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs
    • Danny Bush, Senior Multimedia Producer
    • Dr. Anne Foerst, professor of Computer Science
    • Tim Geiger, director of Enterprise Services
    • Fr. Stephen Mimnaugh, O.F.M., vice president for Mission Integration
    • Tom Missel, chief communications officer
    • Dawn Parisella, executive director of Employee Benefits and Campus Leave Administration
    • Dr. Tracy Schrems, assistant professor of Education
    • Dr. Stephen Setman, assistant professor of Philosophy
    • Dr. Scott Simpson, professor of Chemistry
    • Dr. Erin Sadlack, dean of Arts & Sciences
    • Adriane Spencer, executive director of the Student Success Center
    • Ann Tenglund, director of Friedsam Library and Faculty and Staff Resource Center
    • Dr. Mark Wilson, professor of Finance
    News-Publications-Research- Banner

    天涯社区官网鈥檚 Convocation focuses on challenges, opportunities of AI

    Jan 28, 2026, 08:18 by Thomas Missel
    St. Bonaventure鈥檚 Spring Convocation brought together nearly 300 faculty and staff for four hours of exploration, dialogue and practical engagement around the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence in higher education.

    AI-panel-discussion-at-天涯社区官网

    St. Bonaventure鈥檚 Spring Convocation brought together nearly 300 faculty and staff for four hours of exploration, dialogue and practical engagement around the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence in higher education.

    The AI-themed convocation, held Jan. 16 and anchored by a morning keynote at the Quick Center, featured 14 breakout sessions and multiple panel discussions in Plassmann Hall and the library designed to address AI from pedagogical, ethical, operational and student-centered perspectives.

    Participants were able to attend three 45-minute sessions, allowing them to tailor the day to their interests and professional roles.

    The day opened with a keynote address by Corey John Maley, Ph.D., an associate professor of philosophy at Purdue University, whose research focuses on the nature of computation in both artificial and natural systems.

    AI-keynote-MaleyMaley鈥檚 remarks set a reflective tone for the day, emphasizing conceptual clarity, intellectual humility, and the limits of current AI systems.

    Throughout the morning and early afternoon, faculty and staff engaged in concurrent breakout sessions that ranged from introductory overviews to advanced, classroom-ready applications.

    Sessions explored topics such as designing AI-resilient assignments, using ChatGPT鈥檚 Socratic mode to foster student reasoning, integrating tools like Google鈥檚 NotebookLM into coursework, and applying AI to everyday work tasks to improve efficiency and productivity.

    Several sessions focused on teaching and assessment, including workshops on AI and student writing, generative AI in the sciences, and learning strategies that emphasize process, reflection and conceptual understanding rather than product alone.

    Others centered on broader societal and institutional questions, including panels examining AI鈥檚 effects on society, the balance between artificial and human intelligence, and student perspectives on AI use.

    Student voices were featured prominently in multiple sessions, including a panel discussion devoted entirely to student experiences and expectations. Another session invited open dialogue with members of the President鈥檚 AI Commission, offering participants an opportunity to share hopes, concerns, and ideas for future AI-related programming and policy development.

    A post-Convocation survey revealed that 84% of attendees felt the event was either highly (54%) or somewhat valuable (30%).

    鈥淚 can鈥檛 think of a Convocation we鈥檝e held in the more than 25 years that I鈥檝e been here that has been so well received,鈥 said Dr. Mike Hoffman, co-chair of the university鈥檚 Presidential Commission on AI. 鈥淭here is a real desire here for people to understand how we can best utilize AI in the most practical and ethical ways.鈥

    Survey feedback suggested that participants approached AI with measured curiosity rather than fear or hype. Many respondents indicated they plan to rethink assignment design, clarify expectations around AI use in syllabi, and explore AI as a tool for brainstorming, organization and efficiency rather than a replacement for human judgment or learning.

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    About the University: The nation鈥檚 first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure is a community committed to transforming the lives of its students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a commitment to academic excellence and lifelong civic engagement. Out of 167 regional universities in the North, St. Bonaventure was ranked #8 for value and #19 overall by U.S. News and World Report (2025).