Artificial Intelligence Strategy and Governance Council


Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming education and the workforce, creating both opportunity and risk. Establishing a clear, mission-aligned framework for how HCCC adopts, governs, and invests in AI will ensure innovation advances student success and institutional excellence while protecting equity, ethics, and data security.

The Artificial Intelligence Strategy and Governance Council (AISGC) is charged with shaping Hudson County Community College’s long-term approach to Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategy, policy, and infrastructure in direct support of the 2024–2029 Strategic Plan. Anchored in Strategic Direction #2 (Unlocking Unlimited Student Potential), the AISGC provides broad oversight of the College’s adoption of AI by shaping policy and governance, reviewing projects and acquisitions, and recommending tools and practices that responsibly support teaching, learning, and operations while upholding the College’s mission and values.

The Artificial Intelligence Strategy and Governance Council (AISGC) will:

  • Draft and maintain institution-wide guiding principles that express the College’s stance on responsible AI use, reflecting HCCC’s mission, values, and equity commitments.
  • Create and maintain AI usage guidelines to translate principles into practical direction and ethical application for faculty, staff, and students, and audit existing institutional policies and procedures for alignment.
  • Engage and coordinate with college governance bodies to refine, vet, and communicate AI principles and guidelines across the college community.
  • Recommend learning opportunities that enable students, faculty, and staff to develop AI literacy and deepen their understanding of AI’s capabilities, limitations, ethical considerations, and impact on education and the workforce.
  • Assess and recommend AI infrastructure and tools to support the College’s strategic goals and instructional innovation and establish evaluation and vetting processes for new technologies and use cases with clear criteria for data privacy, security, and accessibility, and pedagogical alignment.
  • Determine the key performance indicators and assessment methods for AI adoption and effectiveness in implemented use cases.
  • Recommend long-term organizational structure and staffing to sustain AI development, tool and use case vetting, and integration across programs and services.
  • Form focused working groups to explore emerging AI priorities, study opportunities and risks, and advance recommendations on strategy, policy, and technology.

Through its work, the Artificial Intelligence Strategy and Governance Council (AISGC) positions HCCC to confidently integrate and scale AI in ways that drive innovation, protect the College community, and advance institutional goals with clarity and accountability.

Explore Our Responsible AI Resources

Responsible AI Guiding Principles

Our shared commitments for the ethical, equitable, and responsible use of AI across the College.
Read the Principles

A Traffic Light Guide to Responsible AI for faculty and staff

Explore Traffic Light Guide

AI Resource Hub

Tools, tutorials, and guidance to build AI literacy across the HCCC community.
Visit the Hub

AI Spark Grants

The AI Spark Grants program supports faculty-led projects that explore innovative, responsible, and discipline-specific applications of artificial intelligence in teaching and learning. Through funding, project implementation, and community sharing, the program encourages experimentation, promotes AI literacy, and helps prepare students for success in an increasingly AI-enabled workforce.


Artificial Intelligence Strategy and Governance Council (AISGC) Membership
Office or School Member Title
Information Technology Services Trisha Clay
(Co-chair)		 Associate Vice President for Information Technology and CIO
Center for Online Learning Matt LaBrake
(Co-chair)		 Associate Vice President for Digital Learning, AI, and Emerging Technologies
Library John Hernandez Dean of College Libraries
Institutional Research and Planning John Urgola Associate Vice President, Institutional Research
Human Resources Suhani Aggarwal Associate Director, Human Resorces
Student Success Bernadette So Dean of Student Success
Student Affairs  David Clark Dean of Student Affairs
Enrollment Services Matt Fessler Dean of Enrollment
Continuing Education and Workforce Development
Lori Margolin		 Vice President for Strategic Initiatives & CEWD
Institutional Engagement and Excellence Yeurys  Pujols Vice President for Institutional Engagement and Excellence 
Academic Affairs  Darryl Jones Vice President for Academic Affairs
  Burl Yearwood Dean of STEM
STEM Mohamedrafiq Siddiqui Assistant Professor, Computer Science
Humanities Social Sciences Susannah Wexler Assistant Professor, English
Nursing Health Steffi Montenegro Instructor, Nursing
Business Culinary Hospitality  Elana Winslow Associate Professor, Business
All College Council Benedetto Youssef Instructor, Academic Foundations
Professional Association  Faisal Aljamal  Associate Professor, Cybersecurity
Student Government Pius D. Cor Jesu Senator, Student Government Association
Student at large Peter Velazquez  
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AISGC Working Groups

Cochairs:

  • Matt LaBrake
  • Burl Yearwood 

Charge: 

The AI Literacy & Academic Innovation working group will advance the thoughtful, responsible, and innovative integration of artificial intelligence into teaching, learning, and student success at Hudson County Community College. The working group will develop recommendations, resources, and professional learning opportunities that build AI literacy among faculty, staff, and students while supporting effective instructional practices and enhancing student learning. 

The working group serves in an advisory capacity and will make recommendations to the AI Strategy & Governance Council (AISGC), which operates within HCCC's shared governance structure rather than as a standalone authority. 

The working group will: 

  • Develop recommendations to strengthen AI literacy for faculty, staff, and students.
  • Advise the development and delivery of AI-related professional development opportunities for faculty and staff.
  • Support and expand the AI Spark Grants program, including proposal development, project review, mentoring, showcase activities, and dissemination of promising practices.
  • Identify and promote effective practices for integrating AI into teaching, learning, assessment, and student support while aligning with HCCC's Responsible AI Guiding Principles.
  • Recommend priorities and future initiatives that strengthen HCCC's culture of responsible AI innovation in teaching and learning. 

Cochairs:

  • Trisha Clay
  • Rafiq Siddiqui 

Charge: 

The AI Operations & Technology working group will evaluate emerging artificial intelligence technologies and recommend their responsible adoption across Hudson County Community College. The working group will identify opportunities to improve institutional operations and services, develop frameworks for evaluating and monitoring AI technologies, and provide guidance on their selection, implementation, and governance. 

The working group serves in an advisory capacity and will make recommendations to the AI Strategy & Governance Council (AISGC), which operates within HCCC's shared governance structure rather than as a standalone authority. 

The working group will: 

  • Develop, maintain, and periodically review an institutional framework for evaluating AI technologies, ensuring the framework remains current as AI capabilities, risks, and best practices evolve.
  • Develop and maintain an inventory of AI technologies being used, piloted, procured, or considered across the College.
  • Identify, prioritize, and recommend AI use cases that improve College operations, administrative processes, employee productivity, and student services.
  • Support the evaluation, procurement, piloting, implementation, and assessment of AI technologies used across all areas of the College.
  • Ensure that proposed pilots include clearly defined objectives, success measures, evaluation criteria, and assessment processes before recommendations are made for broader adoption.
  • Monitor AI technologies after implementation to evaluate their effectiveness, adoption, changing risks, and continued alignment with HCCC Responsible AI Guiding Principles and institutional goals.
  • Review College policies, procedures, and operational practices to identify areas that may require revision or new guidance in response to emerging AI technologies. 

Cochairs:

  • David Clark (Dean of Student Affairs)
  • Susannah Wexler (Assistant Professor, English)
  • Elana Winslow (Associate Professor, Business) 

Charge: 

The Academic Integrity & Responsible AI working Group will examine how academic integrity expectations should evolve in an AI-enabled learning environment and recommend practical, institution-wide guidance that promotes ethical and transparent AI use while preserving academic standards. The working group will support students and faculty with clear, fair, and educationally grounded approaches to both preventing and addressing suspected AI misuse. 

The working group serves in an advisory capacity and will make recommendations to the AI Strategy & Governance Council (AISGC), which operates within HCCC's shared governance structure rather than as a standalone authority. 

The working group will: 

  • Evaluate HCCC's Academic Integrity Policy to determine whether revisions are needed to address AI use, and if new procedures are needed to clarify student and faculty responsibilities.
  • Advise implementation of the governance recommendation on course-level AI syllabus statements, to ensure consistent implementation across all courses.
  • Create guidance for students on using AI ethically and responsibly in academic work.
  • Create guidance for faculty on preventing AI-related academic dishonesty.
  • Create guidance for faculty on detecting, investigating, and addressing suspected AI misuse.
  • Develop a communication strategy to inform students, faculty, and staff about updated policies, procedures, and resources. 

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