University of Hawaii Presidential Candidate Envisions AI-Driven Future
HILO, Hawaii - Wendy F. Hensel, one of the finalists vying for the position of President of the University of Hawaii (UH), outlined an ambitious vision for a future driven by artificial intelligence (AI) during a forum held Tuesday at UH-Hilo. Hensel, currently serving as the executive vice chancellor and university provost at the City University of New York (CUNY), and former senior vice president for academic affairs at Georgia State University (GSU), is competing to replace the outgoing UH President David Lassner.
During her series of question-and-answer sessions across the state, Hensel emphasised the significance of AI in transforming higher education. She likened AI to "the new electricity," underscoring its broad applicability beyond traditional tech-related fields like engineering. Hensel explained that AI’s integration into education would benefit all disciplines and be crucial for future employability.
“AI will touch everything,” Hensel stated. “There is a premium for employers to bring in employees who understand how to utilise that technology.”
Hensel asserted that incorporating AI and related technologies into UH curricula could not only enhance enrollment figures, but also aid students in securing employment through microcredential programmes offered by employers. Furthermore, she suggested that applying these technologies within UH could significantly boost the institution's efficiency and its student services.
Citing her experience at GSU, Hensel detailed how data analytics and AI have been employed to close equity gaps related to socioeconomic status, race, and gender. Through the tracking of extensive data points for each student, GSU could identify those facing financial difficulties and tailor financial aid opportunities to support them, which she described as essential for student success.
Hensel also highlighted AI's potential in addressing "summer melt"—the phenomenon where students who enroll in the summer do not commence their studies in the fall. By using AI chatbots to predict and support at-risk students, such as low-income, minority, or first-generation students, institutions can guide them through the often overwhelming enrolment process. At CUNY, a chatbot programme successfully reduced summer melt by 22% within a year.
Moreover, Hensel expressed a commitment to identifying and dismantling barriers that inhibit groups from pursuing or thriving in higher education. Her approach would involve leveraging data analytics for personalised interventions aimed at students who might otherwise remain disengaged.
“I want to reach the student that doesn’t reach out,” said Hensel. “And I can target that student using analytics to do the personal intervention because it tells me who they are.”
In addition to her technological vision, Hensel acknowledged the significance of existing UH programmes supporting Native Hawaiian students. She pledged to continually advance these initiatives and seek additional funding.
Turning to online education, Hensel emphasised the need for high-quality remote programmes, noting that while more than half of UH's students are enrolled in some form of online education, only 5% of UH degrees are fully online. She clarified that her vision extended beyond the emergency online education deployed during the COVID-19 pandemic, advocating instead for well-designed, skill-intensive online programmes.
“I’m talking about highly technical, skilled, excellent academic programmes that are online to allow people who live anywhere on the islands to benefit from the opportunities that are offered at the university," Hensel commented.
Hensel's campaign continues, with further sessions planned across Hawaii as the UH Board of Regents deliberates on the next university president.
For further information, Michael Brestovansky can be reached at [email protected].
Source: Noah Wire Services