Starting the AI Conversation at Lawrence

Abhishek Chakraborty — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 05:00:00 -0500

The guests for the first episode of Minding Machines are Mark Phelan and Mike Clayville, Co-Directors of the AI at LU (Lawrence University) Task Force. Mark is a Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Cognitive Science program; Mike is a Professor of Practice in the Business and Entrepreneurship program, a performing musician, and a trombonist. We discuss how the task force came to be, what its charge actually looks like, and how they're thinking about AI's effects on teaching, writing, and campus life more broadly.

Episode Resources

Mark's email - mark.phelan@lawrence.edu
Mike's email - michael.clayville@lawrence.edu
Syllabus Policies for GenAI Repository
Artificial Intelligence and Academic Integrity: Expectations Worksheet
5-level AI Assessment Scale
9-level AI Assessment Scale
Ethan Mollick’s substack and books - Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI and Co-Existence: The Next Phase of AI

Click here to view the episode transcript.

(00:00) - Intro and welcome
(01:04) - Guest introductions: Mike and Mark's roles at Lawrence
(01:53) - How the AI Task Force came to be, and where AI stood at Lawrence before it
(04:14) - The task force's charge: institutional literacy and faculty perspective
(06:29) - The two working areas of the task force — policy and student programming
(09:00) - Reading the room: mixed sentiment among faculty, students, and staff
(13:54) - Policy, guardrails, and why a one-size-fits-all rule doesn't fit
(17:09) - Mike and Mark's personal interest in AI — research angles and everyday curiosity
(21:55) - Where co-directors see AI heading next
(26:03) - Learning to live with a new technology: lessons from computers and the internet
(28:32) - What's next: winter term workshops and future plans
(29:12) - What makes a Lawrence-specific response to AI distinct
(32:17) - Closing messages: an invitation to conversation

Welcome to Minding Machines

Abhishek Chakraborty — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 11:31:53 -0500

Minding Machines is an initiative dedicated to fostering thoughtful, open dialogue about artificial intelligence. The podcast brings together educators, students, and practitioners to explore how these tools are changing the way we teach, work, and think. Our conversations focus on practical experiences, emerging questions, and diverse perspectives across disciplines rather than establishing rigid "right or wrong" answers or settling debates about AI. Thank you for joining us.

Click here to view the episode transcript.