As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the landscape of modern education and the workforce, Hudson County Community College (HCCC) has officially launched the Artificial Intelligence Strategy and Governance Council (AISGC). Established in the fall of 2025, the council is tasked with guiding the college’s responsible adoption of AI technology to ensure students, faculty, and staff are prepared for an AI-enabled future.
The AISGC functions as a cross-functional leadership body, bringing together faculty, staff, administrators, and students. It is co-chaired by Patricia Clay, associate vice president for information technology and chief information officer, and Matthew LaBrake, associate vice president for digital learning, AI, and emerging technologies.
The council’s primary goal is to align AI adoption with the college’s mission and its 2024–2029 Strategic Plan. HCCC Interim President Lisa Dougherty emphasized the importance of a balanced approach, stating, “We’re scratching the surface of what humans can do with AI. The College is committed to ensuring students, faculty, and staff learn to engage AI ethically and effectively, respecting human dignity, protecting privacy, preventing bias, and empowering the community.”
To achieve this, the AISGC has developed a set of Responsible AI Guiding Principles that serve as the college’s “North Star.” These values-based principles prioritize:
- Student Success and Equity: Ensuring AI tools help remove barriers to learning.
- Ethical Innovation: Maintaining appropriate safeguards and human accountability.
- Transparency: Clearly disclosing AI usage in academic and operational contexts.
- Privacy and Security: Protecting institutional and personal data.
HCCC is moving beyond theory by integrating AI into the classroom and operational workflows. Recent initiatives include:
- AI Literacy Initiatives: The college is actively building AI fluency through professional development, including workshops and collaborative learning communities. In April 2026, HCCC hosted a major AI learning event for nearly 100 faculty and staff members.
- AI Spark Grants: To foster classroom innovation, HCCC launched “Spark Grants,” which provide funding for instructors to redesign their curricula and integrate AI in discipline-specific ways. The outcomes of these inaugural projects will be presented in a showcase this coming fall.
- Practical Governance: The council is actively vetting AI tools for accessibility, privacy, and pedagogical alignment, ensuring that every tool adopted by the college meets rigorous institutional standards.
By fostering a collaborative environment—utilizing working groups, town halls, and community feedback—HCCC is positioning itself at the forefront of the technological evolution. The AISGC plans to continue refining these guidelines and expanding its working groups to ensure that AI integration at the college remains ethical, effective, and fully aligned with the future needs of the workforce.
