Laurie Couch, Salisbury University provost and a finalist for the Murray State provost position, said while she is not an expert in artificial intelligence, she wants to infuse it into every academic program.
Couch said she’s discussed this with faculty at her university in Maryland and, guided by data, wants to integrate it effectively.
She is the second of four finalists to interview for the position of provost, following Kimberly Paddock-O’Reilly’s interview on Monday. Paddock-O’Reilly currently serves as provost at Chadron State.
“The thing that I have pushed against, at the risk of turning you off, while saying I have railed against what other schools in Maryland have been doing, which is they have pretty much all been putting out curriculum that is an AI program,” Couch said. “The reason I don’t really push my faculty to do that is I think AI is changing everything so fast that it would be obsolete by the time it got approved … Instead of us putting out an AI program, let’s talk about ways to enhance our current programs.”
Couch mentioned a “divide” between administrators and others on campus and said she doesn’t want that tension to affect how things get done.
“I think sometimes administrators get this reputation for, you know, being on power trips or not listening … explaining enough about why they’re doing what they’re doing…Ultimately, I think it’s important to know that at least my philosophy is we’re all growing in the same direction,” Couch said. “If we could just be open about that and leave behind the tropes … I think we will get a whole lot more done. And so I would like to be a teammate and a partner in the work we’re doing … instead of being in an ivory tower or being in a role that is somehow untouchable.”
Couch’s CV is available online.
Besides Paddock-O’Reilly, other candidates are Rose Marie Wood, special consultant to the Marshall University provost and a psychology professor; and Alaric Williams, academic affairs vice president at Minot University in North Dakota. Wood will speak at 2 p.m. Wednesday, and Williams will speak at 2 p.m. Thursday. Both town hall meetings are in Wrather Hall.
The successor will replace Tim Todd, who was removed from his role effective Nov. 1. Todd filed a lawsuit in Franklin Circuit Court against Murray State Nov. 25, alleging a breach of contract.
This article was originally published by The Murray State News, the student newspaper at Murray State University.
