Front Range Community College Tapped for National AI-in-Education Institute
Front Range Community College (FRCC) has been selected as the only community college from Colorado to join the Association of American Colleges and Universities' Institute on Artificial Intelligence, Pedagogy and the Curriculum. The eight-month program convenes 191 institutions to work with experts in teaching, learning, technology, and institutional change. FRCC will represent Northern Colorado in this national effort.
"This think tank includes the best and brightest currently assembled in our field," said FRCC President Colleen Simpson. "We are eager to learn from this elite group of institutions, collaborate across disciplines, and share resources that ultimately benefit our students and communities."
Why this matters for educators
AI is quickly becoming a core job skill across sectors like health care, advanced manufacturing, education, and public service. FRCC's participation signals a clear priority: prepare students-and the faculty who teach them-for new job expectations while keeping education human-centered and ethical.
"We want to thoughtfully prepare our students and faculty for a world increasingly shaped by Artificial Intelligence," said Alana Olschwang, FRCC vice president of strategy and innovation. "Responsible use can also increase inclusion by supporting digital equity and new forms of engagement."
What FRCC plans to build
FRCC will coordinate its current AI-related work into a unified, values-driven strategy. The plan will support faculty, students, and staff while addressing ethics, equity, and access.
- Create a collegewide roadmap for using AI in curriculum and instruction.
- Propose professional development models that help faculty adopt AI with confidence.
- Draft guidelines that encourage ethical, innovative classroom practices.
- Share outcomes across FRCC's three campuses and the Colorado Community College System.
Focus areas the institute will tackle
Participating institutions will collaborate on action plans to improve teaching and learning and to prepare graduates for a changing job market. Key topics include academic integrity, policy development, and ethical considerations with emerging technologies.
More details about the institute are available from the Association of American Colleges and Universities. Learn more at AAC&U.
Practical takeaways you can apply on your campus
- Map where AI belongs in your programs: identify courses where AI can support inquiry, feedback, or authentic assessment.
- Stand up faculty development that is hands-on: short workshops, sandbox courses, peer clinics, and exemplar repositories.
- Update academic integrity policies: define acceptable AI use by assignment type and teach citation/disclosure practices.
- Center equity: provide device access, tool tutorials, and low-bandwidth options so every learner can participate.
- Build consistent guidance: publish collegewide AI guidelines that align student support, libraries, and IT.
- Connect to employers: validate the specific AI skills your local partners expect and align capstones or work-based learning accordingly.
If you're planning faculty PD or course updates, a curated view of AI courses by job role can help you spot gaps and quick wins. Browse AI courses by job.
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