The trio of CSUSM faculty-led projects are among 63 from across the system that were chosen for their potential to enable transformative teaching methods, foster groundbreaking research and address key concerns about AI adoption within the academic environment.

The three proposals from CSUSM faculty are:

• “AI-Ready: Preparing First-Year Students for Sustained (& Sustainable) Ethical & Critical GenAI Engagement at CSUSM & Beyond” by Marnie Eldridge, faculty director of first-year and university programs in the Office of Undergraduate Studies.
• “Innovative Teaching with GenAI: Designing Curriculum for the Future” by Rebecca Lush, a literature and writing studies professor and director of the Faculty Center.
• “Critical Futures: Bridging Indigenous Knowledge and Innovation to Transform Teaching and Student Learning with AI in American Indian Studies” by Joely Proudfit, chair of American Indian studies and director of the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center.

Launched in April, the AIEIC invited faculty from all CSU campuses to develop innovative instructional strategies that leverage AI tools. The response was overwhelming, as CSU faculty submitted more than 400 proposals representing over 750 faculty members systemwide. The Chancellor’s Office will award a total of $3 million to fund the winning proposals.

A full list of funded projects is available on the CSU AI Commons website. Projects launched last month and will continue through June 2026.

The AI Educational Innovations Challenge is a key component of the university’s broader AI Strategy, launched in February to establish the CSU as the first AI-empowered university system in the nation.

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist
bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306