A new initiative called PACK AI will integrate AI into student programs and faculty training through an introductory course, new workshops, tools and other resources, according to a recent news release.
“PACK AI is our next institutional imperative that provides transformative educational opportunities for our faculty and students, groundbreaking research that leads our state and nation, and provides the research and workforce of the future for our region to excel in economic development,” Brian Sandoval, university president, said in a public statement.
New students at the university are already required to participate in a one-credit course aimed at helping them adjust, called NevadaFIT. They come to campus a week early to gain exposure to college classwork, exams, feedback and resources in a low-stakes environment. The PACK AI initiative adds to this program an "introduction to AI" module covering AI use, ethics and policy, as well as academic integrity considerations.
The university is also offering students online resources on how to write effective prompts for chatbots, evaluate their outputs and apply the process to academic research, including a list of AI research tools and how to cite them.
Outside of the Reno campus, the University of Nevada's PACK AI initiative includes work with the Lake Tahoe campus on an introductory one-credit weekend course on AI. The news release said faculty are developing a more expansive three-credit certificate course including an introduction to AI technology, ethics and applications available to all students through the online arm of the university.
Beyond student learning, PACK AI is intended to support faculty as they adapt their teaching to AI-driven tools. The university’s teacher support program will provide workshops on incorporating generative AI into classes, assignments and tutoring. Faculty who have already used AI in class successfully will lead the workshops and share best practices, according to the news release.
Online resources for teachers provide guidance on communicating these integrations to students, including adding statements on AI to class syllabi and being transparent about the purpose of AI in teaching practices.
The university's Office of Research and Innovation will also foster collaboration on the research side, asking faculty to share their expertise in AI across disciplines.
In addition to coursework and training, the initiative includes AI-focused campus events, starting with a presentation from a visiting AI scholar Joel Davis, director of the University of Florida business school, who researches analytics, AI and business operations. Davis will host a presentation in September and meet with students, faculty and staff afterward to discuss his university’s AI work, according to a message from Sandoval obtained by Carson Now.
The news release said Nevada’s own faculty will continue the conversation with a lecture series, “AI in the Classroom: A Wolf Pack Symposium Series,” through which faculty will share how they use AI in their fields.
The PACK AI initiative also covers infrastructure, building upon a previous partnership with Apple to offer iPads to first-year and transfer students. Students will now have access to Microsoft Copilot and Apple Intelligence on their school-issued iPads.
