(from Community College Research Center, November 2025 by Padilla, Baker, Lahr, and Minaya).

Many community college students begin their journey with high educational aspirations. Unfortunately, a large percentage of students leave college before they achieve their academic goals. In a recent survey of entering community college students, 83% reported plans to earn a bachelor’s degree (Center for Community College Student Engagement, 2023). Yet, nearly 40% of students in public two-year colleges do not return for their second year and have not earned a certificate or degree (National Student Clearinghouse [NSC], 2025a). Students who leave without earning a credential are unlikely to return (NSC, 2025b). As a result, many students miss out on the socioeconomic benefits associated with completing a postsecondary credential. Given the gap between students’ initial goals and actual attainment rates, understanding why students depart college is a critical step in helping to prevent attrition and its negative implications. 

Past research points to several key factors that shape students’ decisions to remain enrolled. Students enter college with goals and expectations that are modified by their experiences during their journey, both inside and outside the institution (Bean & Metzner, 1985; Tinto, 1993). Interpersonal relationships and interactions within the college, such as those with peers, faculty, and staff, can foster a stronger sense of belonging and provide support in navigating college, which encourages persistence (Deil-Amen, 2011; Karp, 2011; Schudde, 2019; Tinto, 1993). Additionally, psychological factors like satisfaction and the perceived value of a college degree, which evolve over the course of the college experience, can influence students’ decision to remain enrolled (Bean & Metzner, 1985). Finally, self-efficacy, the confidence in one’s ability to accomplish a goal, can positively influence academic achievement (Eccles & Wigfield, 2002). 

(Read the full article here).

(from Community College Daily, November 17, 2025 by Matthew Dembicki)

Economic contributions by international students at community colleges increased for the third consecutive year, with nearly 64,000 students contributing $2.2 billion and supporting 9,099 jobs to the U.S. economy during the 2024-2025 academic year, according to a new analysis released today.

That’s a 10.5% increase, but significantly less than last year’s growth of 33%. The number of jobs they support also increased, though also at a slower rate — 7.4% this year, compared to 28% last year.

According to the analysis by NAFSA: Association of International Educators and JB International, for every seven international students enrolled in a community college, one U.S. job is created and supported by spending occurring in the higher education, accommodation, dining, retail, transportation, telecommunications and health insurance sectors.

Texas had the most international community college students at 14,253, contributing more than $419.7 million to the economy, followed by California with 13,788 students ($615.7 million) and Washington with 6,236 students ($192.6 million), according to the analysis. Next on the list was Florida, New York, Maryland and Virginia. The report provides information on all 50 states, where available.

Broader analysis

The analysis is part of a larger analysis of international students at all U.S. colleges and universities, which sheds light on the expected loss of revenue and jobs resulting from a drop in international students. Overall, this fall has seen a 17% decline in new student enrollment, contributing to a 7% drop in total enrollment, driven mainly by dips in graduate and non-degree students. This translates to more than $1.1 billion of lost revenue and nearly 23,000 fewer jobs, according to analysts, who based their projections on the Fall 2025 Snapshot on International Student Enrollment report published by the Institute of International Education, along with data from the departments of Education, Commerce, Homeland Security and State.

There was, however, a 2% increase in undergraduate enrollment, which the report says may have been due to earlier student decisions and visa appointments occurring before various administrative actions took place this summer.

Fanta Aw, NAFSA executive director and CEO, warned that the U.S. must adopt more proactive policies to attract and retain the world’s best and brightest, especially in post-study work.

“Otherwise, international students will increasingly choose to go elsewhere — to the detriment of our economy, excellence in research and innovation, and global competitiveness and engagement,” she said in a release.

The broader analysis also examines data by state and congressional district, as well as industry sectors.

(from Faculty Focus, November 10, 2025 by Fahad Ameen)

One of my quietest students once came up to me after class and said, “I’ve never felt comfortable speaking in English before this course.” That single sentence reminded me that what we build in the classroom goes far beyond lectures or grading. It’s the atmosphere we create that allows learning to happen. For this student, the turning point wasn’t grammar drills or vocabulary tests. It was trust. 

As educators, we often focus on the what and how of teaching. But who the student in front of us matters just as much. In my experience, building genuine rapport is one of the most overlooked yet powerful strategies for helping students feel safe enough to participate, take risks, and grow. 

What Rapport Really Means

Rapport is not about being the “fun” professor or trying to be everyone’s favorite. It’s about creating a space where students feel respected, seen, and supported not just academically, but as people. 

In my classrooms, especially with my work with adult ESL learners in Kuwait, rapport means: 

• Greeting students by name and with warmth 

• Encouraging participation without pressure 

• Acknowledging their challenges as second-language users 

• Listening actively to their concerns and ideas 

When students feel this kind of connection, they are far more willing to ask questions, attempt difficult tasks, and take ownership of their learning. 

How I Build Rapport (and How You Can Too)

Here are five practical habits I’ve developed that have made a noticeable difference in student engagement and classroom climate. 

1. Be Present Beyond the Podium

I make time before and after class for informal conversations, even brief ones. A simple, “How’s your week going?” can open doors. Students need to know we are not just grading machines. We are humans too. 

2. Learn Names Quickly

It seems like a small detail, but using students’ names early in the semester changes everything. When I call on “Fatima” instead of “you in the third row,” I signal that her presence matters. 

3. Use Encouragement Thoughtfully

When a student takes a risk, especially with speaking, I make sure to acknowledge the effort. Saying, “That was a great attempt,” helps build confidence and normalizes the learning process. 

4. Normalize Mistakes

Learning is full of errors. I often point out my own slips and laugh with the class. This sets the tone that mistakes are part of the process, not something to fear. 

5. Ask for Feedback and Act on It

I regularly ask students what’s helping and what’s not. If I change something based on their feedback, I let them know. This builds trust and shows them that their voices shape the learning experience too. 

A Moment I’ll Never Forget

I remember one student, Yousef, who barely spoke during the first few weeks of class. He sat near the back, avoided eye contact, and never volunteered. I made a point to greet him by name each class, ask simple follow-up questions, and check in privately after group work. Slowly, he started opening up. First, he answered yes-no questions. Then, short phrases. By the end of the semester, he stood up and gave a short presentation in English. It wasn’t perfect, but it was powerful. Afterward, he told me, “You made me feel like I could do it.” That comment stays with me to this day. 

How Rapport Transforms Feedback

One area where rapport makes a real difference is in how students receive feedback. Constructive feedback is essential for improvement, but it only works if students feel it comes from a place of support. 

Once, I had to correct a student’s repeated grammatical mistake. It could have felt embarrassing, but because we had already built trust, she laughed and said, “I knew you would catch that.” She didn’t feel attacked. She knew the correction was about helping her grow. 

This kind of response isn’t automatic. It comes from creating a consistent environment where feedback is expected, respected, and grounded in care. 

The Ripple Effect of Strong Rapport

The impact of strong rapport is not limited to one assignment or one semester. I have seen students who once hesitated to speak now take initiative in group discussions, volunteer for peer mentoring, or continue English practice long after the course ends. 

Rapport also builds community. When students see the teacher modeling kindness, encouragement, and open communication, they begin to do the same with each other. This shifts the classroom from a silent space to one that is collaborative and supportive. 

What You Can Try This Week

If you’re looking to build rapport in your own classroom, here are three simple practices you can try immediately: 

• Learn and use student names within the first two weeks. Use name tents if needed. If you’re at mid-semester, consistent use of student names shows you care and value their presence which helps strengthen classroom connections.

• Ask for anonymous feedback midway through the term. Just two questions: “What’s helping you learn?” and “What would you change?” 

• Set aside two minutes at the end of class to praise a risk taken, a great question asked, or a quiet win. This reinforces the kind of behavior you want to see more of. 

These small actions compound over time. They send a clear message to students that they matter and that their growth is the shared goal of the classroom. 

Final Thoughts: What They’ll Remember

As educators, we hope students walk away from our courses remembering the material. But what they often remember most is how we made them feel. Did they feel respected? Encouraged? Safe enough to take a risk? 

If the answer is yes, then we have done more than teach. We have helped them build confidence, resilience, and the courage to use their voice. 

That is the kind of learning that stays with them long after the final exam. 

Fahad Ameen is a PhD researcher in Applied Linguistics at the University of Nottingham and an English language instructor at Kuwait University’s College of Education. His work focuses on student motivation, gamified learning, and building meaningful teacher–student relationships in Arab ESL contexts. 

(from American Association of Community Colleges, November 11, 2025 by Matthew Dembicki)

 Faculty Focus, November 7, 2025 by Juli S. Charkes, PhD)

Undergraduate enrollments for this fall are up again, with community colleges again seeing the largest rate increase, according to preliminary reporting to the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) Research Center.

Overall undergraduate enrollment is up 2.4% so far, with increases in all sectors, though community colleges are leading with a 4.0% boost, compared to 1.9% at public four-year institutions and 0.9% at private, nonprofit four-year institutions. And, once again this fall, certificates appear to be a driving force — a 6.6% increase, compared to a 3.1% bump for associate degrees and 1.2% for bachelor’s degrees.

While enrollment in programs like computer and information science is seeing a large decrease this fall — down -5.8% at two-year institutions — trade majors continue to grow in areas such as engineering technologies (8.3%), mechanic and repair technologies (10.4%) and health professions (10.1%), according to the NSC Research Center report. National discussions about AI replacing workers, coupled with technology companies scaling back on their workforce, could be a driver in the drop in computer and information sciences, which other higher education sectors also have experienced — -7.7% among baccalaureate institutions and -15% at the graduate level.

“It’s a truly eye-opening decline,” Matthew Holsapple, NSC Research Center’s senior director of research, said in a call with reporters on Monday.

The center’s preliminary data is based on 8.5 million enrollments reported as of September 25 by 49.4% of colleges that send information to the NSC Research Center. A final report based on information from all the colleges will be released in January. It will include more detailed information as well as data on dual enrollments, for-profits and online institutions, which were not in the preliminary report.

Over the last two years

The NSC Research Center also looked at enrollment trends among sectors since fall 2023. Over the span, undergraduate enrollment has increased 5.7%, with community colleges leading the way with a 9.6% increase, followed by public four-years at 4.1%, according to the report.

While the report includes data on community colleges, it also breaks down numbers within the sector into public two-year colleges and primarily associate degree-granting baccalaureate institutions (PABs), which continue to expand. PABs saw a higher enrollment growth this fall than two-year colleges, a 4.1% increase compared to 3.9%. Since fall 2023, PABs have seen a 10.2% jump, compared to 9.4% at public two-years.

A look at the demographics

Only White students experienced a decline this fall in community college enrollment, sliding -3.0%. Multiracial students had the highest increase at 5.3%, followed by students who are Hispanic (4.4%), Black (4.3%) and Asian (3.8%).

But the center cautioned that the declines could be overestimated due to an increasing number of students choosing not to report their race/ethnicity. It observed that students with missing/unknown race comprise 17% of undergraduate enrollment, which is a 21% increase compared to last fall. Among community colleges, the increase is 22%. Since 2023, there has been a 64.9% increase in students reporting their race/ethnicity as missing/unknown.

While the center does not include dual enrollment in its preliminary report, it does have an enrollment breakout based on age. For students ages 17 and younger, enrollment increased 5.5%. Older learners also saw increases again, up 4.5%. Traditional college-age students (18 and 19-20 for community colleges) also saw increases of 5.2% and 3.8%, respectively.

However, the rates of increase are lower than last fall. In fall 2024, students 17 or younger at community colleges saw an 8.7% increase, and adults 25 to 29 saw a 7.4% jump. But traditional-age students saw higher increases than last fall. Holsapple cautioned about depending too much on the early findings, noting that not all colleges have reported their data. Findings in the final report in January could be different, he noted.

(from Faculty Focus, November 7, 2025 by Juli S. Charkes, PhD)

Wrapping up a recent course, one of my students approached and asked to talk. It turns out she wasn’t there to review an assignment or clarify a grade. Instead, she was seeking my advice on her future career: what were my thoughts on job prospects for her major; what professional pathways made sense, given our rapidly changing world. 

As the conversation touched on search strategies, market forces, and even the shifting nature of work itself, I was struck by how the moment represented a growing phenomenon in higher education: helping students succeed beyond the academic setting is a shared responsibility, particularly as the call for post-academic success continues to grow.  

Dedicated career centers lead the way for student success beyond campus, but when students seek guidance on their future professional roles, chances are it will be an instructor to whom they turn. That’s good news for those of us committed to academic success. When students reach out to faculty for career advice, it’s an opportunity to deepen trust and strengthen learner confidence–principles that correlate with learning success. It also allows us to link learning with purpose, while helping us more deeply understand the evolution of our disciplines. 

Integrating career readiness into our courses benefits us all. Here are some simple steps to get started: 

Instructors Are Career Influencers—Whether We Know It or Not

Classroom instructors are the most consistent professional mentors that students encounter throughout their college years. A passing comment about your own career trajectory, or a few minutes spent discussing potential paths in your field, can expand a student’s sense of what’s possible, particularly for those whose backgrounds lack the types of professional networks that can impact professional success. Inviting professionals into the classroom–whether through alumni networks, or local industry—is an opportunity to provide students with professional roadmaps. Sharing examples of the different ways your discipline shows up in the world can likewise orient students towards a meaningful future in which they will likely change careers multiple times. To help guide conversations, invite students to explore so-called “clusters” of careers using tools such as the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Information Network which provides data on growing fields and industries. 

Relevance Drives Engagement

When students understand how their academic work connects to real-world applications, their engagement deepens. They’re more likely to push through a complex assignment when they see how it builds toward the type of skills they can apply to future employment. Not every lesson needs to turn into a job training session but connecting the “what” of our teaching to the “why” that students are so often seeking strengthens outcomes and can also improve student satisfaction. Studies indicate that students gain motivation when they can see how the skills they’re developing serve a purpose beyond the classroom, so canvassing students about their future career goals and integrating conversations and activities that help them map content to careers can be highly effective. 

Every Discipline Includes Transferable Skills

Supporting students with future career goals means guiding them to recognize key competencies that develop across disciplines and that are prioritized across professional fields. Key among these are the skills of critical thinking, communication, teamwork, cultural fluency, and ethical decision-making. Students won’t always recognize these as in-demand skills unless we name them, so consistently referencing their utility is an impactful step. That might mean pointing out that a history paper builds research skills; a biology lab fosters analytical reasoning; and a group project in any discipline develops collaboration and leadership skills that are prized in the workplaces of today. By drawing attention to these connections, we help students value the breadth of what they’re learning while helping them understand how to showcase these skills to future employers. 

Hybrid Skills Define the Modern Workforce

Today’s employers seek graduates who bring both depth and versatility, meaning team members who know the specifics of their field, but can also communicate, adapt, and think creatively. These hybrid profiles are in demand across sectors and instructors can support their students by embedding assignments that mirror real-world demands. Case studies, presentations, simulations, along with reflective writing, all offer chances to practice skills that matter in professional life. When we give students opportunities to apply knowledge in dynamic ways, we prepare them not only for jobs, but for the type of lifelong learning these professional positions will demand. 

Helping students prepare for their careers doesn’t dilute academic rigor; it strengthens it by affirming that education matters in the world beyond academics. That day in the classroom, as I listened to my student’s questions about her future, I realized she wasn’t looking for certainty, but rather the opportunity to engage in the very skills we’ve always valued in teaching: critical questioning, reflection, and the ability to envision new ways to advance. Faculty are in a unique position to offer this type of guidance. Embracing and integrating career readiness into our teaching supports the pedagogical goals of the classroom while helping students succeed well beyond them.  

Juli S. Charkes, EdD, is a former Director of a Center for Teaching and Learning where she led faculty development across 100 academic programs. She has been a classroom instructor for the past 14 years, teaching organizational leadership, communications, and media studies at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. 

References 

Universities Address Workforce and career readiness. (n.d.-c). https://kaplan.com/about/trends-insights/universities-address-workforce-and-career-readiness   

Pleschová, G., Sutherland, K. A., Felten, P., Forsyth, R., & Wright, M. C. (2025). Trust-building as inherent to academic development practice. International Journal for Academic Development, 30(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2025.2454704 

The future of work is non-linear (or why you’ll have more than one career in your lifetime). World Economic Forum. (n.d.). https://www.weforum.org/stories/2023/05/workers-multiple-careers-jobs-skills/  

Fish, N., Bertone, S., & van Gramberg, B. (2025). Improving student engagement in employability development: recognising and reducing affective and behavioural barriers. Studies in Higher Education, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2025.2461271 

Bauer-Wolf, J. (2023, November 30). Employers value a college degree but think students lack some skills, survey says. Higher Ed Dive. https://www.highereddive.com/news/employers-value-a-college-degree-but-think-students-lack-some-skills-surve/701051/   

Mashek, D. (2022, June 23). Collaboration is a key skill. so why aren’t we teaching it? MIT Sloan Management Review. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/collaboration-is-a-key-skill-so-why-arent-we-teaching-it/  

(from Faculty Focus, October 29, 2025 by Sybil Prince Nelson, PhD)

Parents who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s know the feeling: you’re listening to your kid’s playlist, and suddenly a song hits you with a wave of uncanny familiarity. Despite the claims by your teen that it is the latest and greatest, you know that it is just a repackaging of one of your favorite tunes from the past. I am noticing a similar trend with generative AI. It is inherently regurgitative: reshaping and repackaging ideas and thoughts that are already out there. 

Fears abound as to the future of higher education due to the rise of generative AI. Articles from professors in many different fields predict that AI is going to destroy the college essay or even eliminate the need for professors altogether. Their fears are well founded. Seeing the advances that generative AI has made in just the past few months, I am constantly teetering between immense admiration and abject terror. My Chatbot does everything for me, from scheduling how to get my revise and resubmit done in three months to planning my wardrobe for the fall semester. I fear becoming too self-reliant on it. Am I losing myself? Am I turning my ChatGPT into a psychological crutch? And if I am having these thoughts, what effect is generative AI having on my students? 

Remix vs. Originality: Girl Talk or Beyonce

Grappling with the strengths and weaknesses of my own AI usage, I feel I have discovered what might be the saving grace of humanity (feel free to nominate me for the Nobel Peace Prize if you wish). As I hinted earlier, AI is more like a DJ remixing the greatest hits of society rather than an innovative game changer. My ChatGPT is more like Girl Talk (who you have probably never heard of. Just ask your AI) than Beyonce (who you most definitely have heard of). Not that there’s anything wrong with Girl Talk. Their mashups are amazing and require a special kind of talent. Just like navigating AI usage requires a certain balance of skills to create a usable final product. But no matter how many pieces of music from other artists you mash together, you will not eventually turn into a groundbreaking, innovative musician. Think Pat Boone vs. The Beatles, Sha Na Na vs. David Bowie, Milli Vanilli vs. Prince, MC Hammer vs. Lauryn Hill. 

What AI Gets Wrong in Writing

As a mathematician and a novelist, I see this glaring weakness in both of these very different disciplines. I’ll start with writing. ChatGPT is especially helpful in coming up with strange character or planet names for my science fiction novels. It will also help me create a disease or something else I need to drive the plot further. And, of course, it can help me find an errant comma or fix a fragmented sentence. But that is about it. If I ask it to write an entire chapter, for example, it will come up with the most boring, derivative, and bland excuse for prose I have ever seen. It will attempt my humor but fail miserably. It sometimes makes my stomach turn, it’s so bad.  

A study from the Wharton School found that ChatGPT reduces the diversity of ideas in a pool of ideas. Thus, it diminishes the diversity of the overall output, narrowing the scope of novel ideas. Beyond that, I find that when I use ChatGPT to brainstorm, I typically don’t use its suggestions. Those suggestions just spark new ideas and help me come up with something different and more me.  

For example, I asked ChatGPT to write a joke for its bad brainstorming practice of using the same core ideas over and over again. It said: 

Joke: That’s not brainstorming—it’s a lazy mime troupe echoing each other. 

That’s lame. I would never say that. But another joke it gave me sparked the music sampling analogy I opened this article with.  

In any case, because of generative AI’s inability to actually generate anything new, I have hope that the college essay, like the fiction novel, will not die. Over-reliance on AI may indeed debilitate the essay, perhaps causing it to go on life support forcing students and faculty to drag its lifeless body across the finish line of graduation. But there is still hope.  

I remember one of my favorite English teachers in middle school required that we keep a journal. Each day she asked us to write something, anything in our journal, even if it was only a paragraph or just a sentence. Something about putting pen to paper sparked my creativity. It also sparked a lifelong notebook addiction. And even though I consider myself somewhat of a techie and a huge AI enthusiast, to this day I still use notebooks for the first draft of my novels. 

It is clear to me that ChatGPT will never be able to write my novels in my voice. I don’t claim to be a great novelist. I just feel that some of my greatest work hasn’t been written yet. While ChatGPT may be able to write a poem about aardvarks in the style of Robert Frost or a ballad about Evariste Galois in the style of Carole King, it can’t write my next novel, because it doesn’t yet exist. And even when it tries to imitate my voice and my style, predicting what I will write next, it does a poor job. 

The Research Paper Dilemma: AI vs. Process

A research paper is inherently different from a creative work of fiction, however. ChatGPT does do a pretty good job of gathering information on a topic from several sources and synthesizing it into a coherent paper. You just have to make sure to check for the errant hallucinated reference. And honestly, when are our students ever going to be asked to write a 15-page research paper on Chaucer without any resources? And if they are, ChatGPT can probably produce that product better than an undergraduate student can. But the process, I would argue, is more important than the final product.   

In his Inside Higher Ed paper Writing the Research Paper Slowly, JT Torres recommends a scaffolding process to writing the research paper. This method focuses on the process of writing a paper, exploring and reading sources, taking notes, organizing those notes into a ‘scientific story’ and creating an outline. Teaching students the process of writing the paper instead of focusing on the end product results in students feeling more confident that they can not only complete the task required but transfer those skills to another subject. Recognizing these limitations pushed me to rethink how I design assignments. 

Using AI in the Classroom

Knowing that generative AI can do somethings (but not all things) better than a human has made me a more intentional professor. Now when I create assignments, I think: Can ChatGPT do this better than an undergraduate student? If so, then what am I really trying to teach? Here are a few strategies I use: 

Method #1: Assess Your Assessments with AI in Mind

When designing an assignment, ask yourself whether it is testing a skill that AI already performs well. If so, consider shifting your focus to why that skill matters, or how students can go beyond AI’s capabilities. 

Method #2: Use AI Where It Adds Value – Remove It Where It Does Not

In some cases, it makes sense to integrate AI directly into the assignment (e.g., generating code, automating data analysis). In others, the objective may be to build a human-only skill like personal expression or creative voice. I decide case by case whether AI should be a part of the process or explicitly excluded. 

Method #3: Clarify Whether You are Teaching Theory or Application

When I am teaching tests, I have to ask myself: Am I assessing whether students understand the theory behind the test or whether they can run one using software? If it’s the latter, using AI to generate code might be appropriate. But if it’s the former, I’ll require manual calculations or a written explanation. 

Method #4: Add a Reflection to any AI Supported Assignment

Any assignment where they are allowed to use AI, they also have to write a reflection about how they used AI and whether it was helpful or not. This encourages metacognition and reduces overreliance.  

Method #5: Require Students to Share Their Prompts and Revisions

Having students share the prompts they used in completing the assignment teaches them about transparency and the need for iteration in their interaction with an AI. Students should not just be cutting and pasting the first response from ChatGPT. They need to learn how to take a response, analyze it then refine their prompt to get a better result. This helps them develop prompt engineering skills and realize that ChatGPT is not just a magic answer machine. 

AI and the Limits of Innovation in Research

What about academic research in general? How is AI helping or hindering? Given that generative AI merely remixes the greatest hits of human history rather than creating anything new, I think its role in academic research is limited. Academic breakthroughs start with unasked questions. Generative AI works within the confines of existing data. It can’t sense the frontier because it doesn’t know there is a frontier. It can’t sample past answers of a question that hasn’t been asked yet. About a year ago, I was trying to get my AI to write a section of code for my research and it kept failing. I spent a week trying to get it to do what I wanted. I realized it was having such a difficult time because I was asking it to do something that hadn’t been done before. Finally, I gave up and wrote the piece of code myself, and it only took me about half an hour. Sure, the coding capabilities have gotten better over the past year, but the core principle remains the same. AI still struggles to innovate. It can’t do what hasn’t already been done. Also because of ‘creative flattery’ it wants to make you happy so it will try to do what you tell it to do even if it can’t. The product will be super convincing, but it can still be wrong. 

I recently asked AI to write a theoretical proof that shows polygonal numbers are Benford distributed (Spoiler: They are not). Then I had it help me write a convincing journal-ready article. The only problem is it also wrote me a theoretical proof that Polygonal numbers are NOT Benford distributed as well.  I submitted the former to a leading mathematics journal to see what would happen. Guess what, they caught it. A human was able to detect the ‘AI Slop’. This shows me, that (1) there will always be a need for human gatekeepers and (2) ‘creative flattery’ is extremely dangerous in a research setting and confirms the need for human review. The chatbot tries too hard to please, thus reinforcing what the user already thinks even if that means proving or disproving the exact same thing. Academic research thrives on novel questions and unpredictable answers, which AI is incapable of doing since it inherently just regurgitates what is already out there. 

Helping Students See AI’s Blind Spots

The Benford Polygonal Numbers experiment is an important example of how we need to educate our students about AI usage in an academic setting. The Time.com article Why A.I. is Getting Less Reliable, Not More states that despite its progress over the years, AI can still resemble sophisticated misinformation machines.  Students need to know how to navigate this.  

One of my favorite assignments in my Statistics course is what I call: 

Method #6: “Beat ChatGPT” – A Concept Mastery Challenge

Students must craft a statistics question that the chatbot gets wrong, explain why the chatbot got it wrong and then provide the correct answer. A tweak of this activity would be to take AI generated content and human written then compare and critique tone, clarity, or originality. 

Remixing isn’t Creation

AI-generated content is like a song built entirely from remixed samples. Sampling has its place in music (and in writing) but when everything starts to sound the same, our ears and brains begin to tune out. A great remix can breathe new life into a classic, but we still crave the shock of the new. This is why people lost their minds the first time they heard Beyonce’s Lemonade or Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly – not because they followed a formula, but because they bent the rules and made something we’d never heard before. AI, for all its value, doesn’t break the rules. It follows them. That is the difference between innovation and imitation. It is also the reason why AI, in its current capacity, will not kill original thought. 

Sybil Prince Nelson, PhD, is an assistant professor of mathematics and data science at Washington and Lee University, where she also serves as the institution’s inaugural AI Fellow. She holds a PhD in Biostatistics and has over two decades of teaching experience at both the high school and college levels. She is also a published fiction author under the names Sybil Nelson and Leslie DuBois. 

References 

Hsu, Hua. 2025. “The End of the English Paper.” The New Yorker, July 7, 2025. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/07/07/the-end-of-the-english-paper. 

Warner, John. 2024. “Get Ready for Faculty Bot-ification.” Inside Higher Ed, December 11, 2024. https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/columns/just-visiting/2024/12/11/great-ready-faculty-bot-ification. 

Meincke, Lea, Gideon Nave, and Christian Terwiesch. 2025. “ChatGPT Decreases Idea Diversity in Brainstorming.” Nature Human Behaviour 9: 1107–1109. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-025-02173-x. 

Torres, J. T. 2021. “Writing the Research Paper Slowly.” Inside Higher Ed, May 5, 2021. https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2021/05/05/benefits-new-approach-student-research-papers-opinion. 

Sonnenfeld, Jeffrey, and Joanne Lipman. 2024. “Why A.I. Is Getting Less Reliable, Not More.” Time, June 20, 2024. https://time.com/7302830/why-ai-is-getting-less-reliable/. 

In recent weeks I’ve been focusing on the problem of students coming to class less prepared. When that happens, discussions fall flat and frustrations rise. How can you meaningfully teach anyone if they’re not doing much work in between classes? (Read more by Beth McMurtrie from The Chronicle of Higher Education).

Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein in 1818 when she was just 18 years old. In doing so, she not only created a gothic masterpiece that continues to influence and inspire literature but also broke barriers as a woman writer, pioneered science fiction, and created a cautionary tale that is relevant for AI, STEM, and tech researchers today (keep reading this article by Erik Ofgang at Tech & Learning).

At Rogue Community College (RCC), recent initiatives have focused on identifying systemic barriers to industry engagement and implementing targeted strategies to enhance agility in workforce development. Over the past year, RCC has taken deliberate steps to cultivate stronger partnerships with industry stakeholders and to align curricular offerings more closely with labor market needs to increase responsiveness and relevance in service of both students and workforce partners (keep reading this article by Lisa Parks at League for Innovation).

As an educator with years of experience in community colleges, I have often reflected on what drives career success today. One moment that reshaped my perspective came at a conference, where I met a senior executive from a leading tech company. Given his work in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital innovation, I assumed he held advanced degrees in computer science or a related field. To my surprise, he shared that his background was in philosophy (keep reading this article by Dr. Muddassir Siddiqi at Community College Daily)

Rubrics are a valuable tool that supports student growth and facilitates instructor grading and feedback (Suskie, 2018). As instructors, we see this value; unfortunately, many of our students, especially first-year students, are unfamiliar with the concept. This presents an opportunity to raise their awareness of a tool that will benefit them as they master concepts and seek course success (keep reading this article by Dr. Sarah Forbes at Faculty Focus)

Scholar Maryellen Weimer noted in her work "It's a Myth: Nobody Knows What Makes Teaching Good" in Teaching College, Collected Readings for the New Instructor that the consistent elements of effective teaching include:

• personal enthusiasm (which she notes tends to be contagious to students),

• clarity of discourse and presentation,

• an ability to stimulate and arouse interest from listeners,

• knowledge (both competence with respect to the actual content of instruction and an evident love of the subject matter).

Weimer stressed that these characteristics emphasize "thorough, up-to-date knowledge of the subject matter; clearly defined instructional objectives; and a genuine commitment to teaching" (p. 43).

What are you thoughts? What do you think contributes to an excellent teacher?

(Adapted from New Faculty: A Practical Guide for Academic Beginners by Christopher J. Lucas and John W. Murry, Jr.)

Advice for New Faculty: Start with the Syllabus. Focusing on the syllabus at the front end helps the teacher focus his or her ideas and bring all of his or her learning philosophies together in one place (keep reading this article by Jennifer Patterson Lorenzetti).

Possible AI Syllabus Statements (from TBR AI Learning Collaborative): A continually updated document outlining various syllabi policies for AI generative tools, providing guidance. See more from the TBR AI Learning  Collaborative. Also refer to TBR Policy: 1.08.10.00 Use of Artificial Intelligence

Mindset GPS Syllabus Checklist: What is a Mindset GPS syllabus messaging checklist? This checklist is designed to help you evaluate and reflect on the messages conveyed in your course syllabus so you can embed motivationally-supportive language throughout it. We encourage you to review your syllabus, focusing each time on one of the three learning mindsets. 

AI Syllabus Statement Template: A customizable syllabus statement template to help instructors transparently communicate the role, use, and ethical considerations of AI technologies in their courses, from the TBR AI Learning Collaborative.

Bringing C.H.A.O.S. to Choas: Syllabi with an A.I. Usage Policy: It is no secret that Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is transforming college classrooms. AI tools can easily and quickly assist students in various tasks such as essay writing, literature reviews, analyzing data, formulating code, solving equations, image generation, music composition, and so much more. With minimal or no effort, within minutes, students have most assignments, test questions, or discussion problems figured out and done…enter the chaos!  (continue reading the article)

Beyond Syllabus Week: Creative Strategies to Engage Students from Day One. 

Ever wonder why students don't read the syllabus, despite the time and effort we put into creating it? It serves as a contract . . . yet many students simply aren't motivated to read it (continue reading this article by Dr. Joanne Ricevuto).

Start-Up Anxiety: Professor Shares His Fears as a New Semester Begins. 

I have often said to my friends who don't teach that the week before fall classes begin is a tough time for me. The students are coming back and the campus is abuzz (continue reading this article by Dr. Peter Kakela).

Support GPS on the First Day. This activity provide example scenarios/activities, based on the article How to Teach a Good First Day of Class by James Lang, that you can implement during your first day of class that would support your students’ learning mindsets. For Sense of Belonging, actions include arriving 10 minutes early and asking students to introduce themselves in small groups. 

1st Day Student Survey: On the first day of the course, ask students key questions to learn more about them. Surveying your students was also suggested as an active learning technique to appreciate their current skill levels, but additional questions can be added to appreciate student issues around belongingness (e.g., What concerns or questions do you currently have about the course?). Here is an example used in one of our courses. Then once collected, reach out to students individually over email (or create a single class email summarizing and addressing the major concerns/questions raised). (Sense of Belonging, number 1). 

Mindset Supportive Welcome Message: A welcome message can be an initial strategy to promote a better Sense of Belonging, but you also can consider adding elements of Growth Mindset and Purpose & Relevance as well. This includes a sample template to adapt. 

Check out how Walters State prepped for Week 1 of the Fall 2025 semester!

Visit the extensive OER resources from Pellissippi State Community College which includes:

• Introduction to OER

• OER Handbook for Educators 1.0

• OER Collections

• from the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR): Tennessee Open Education flyer

• from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC): Tennessee Open Education

Review this sample checklist from fellow faculty at Columbia State: Pre-term checklist 

Review these sample checklists below to construct your own: Start of Semester Checklist from ETSU 

The first day of class represents an opportunity to get your course off to a good start. Don't just tell students your name and hand out the syllabus (important document, though it is). Keep in mind that the opening session sets the tone for the entire semester. It should be a time to anticipate students' unspoken questions and to address them directly:

• Who's the teacher of the course and are they any good? Introduce yourself, briefly share information about yourself: credentials, degrees, professional background. But also include your areas of interest. Share something about yourself as an individual human being.

• Who else is taking this course with me? Take the time to have students introduce themselves to one another and, time permitting, to the class as a whole. No one should leave class without learning the names of at least 3 other students.

• What's this course about? Refer to the syllabus and share an overview of the class. Express your enthusiasm for your topic and show your students you're interested in the course and in their success. If you are not interested in your own course, do not expect your students to become involved either.

• Will I enjoy this class? Explain what you require of your students and the course objectives. Indicate when, where, and how students can get help when they need it.

• How do I get a good grade in this course? Explain in detail what evaluation procedures will be used. Explain the basis for your grading. Offer concrete, specific suggestions on studying, preparing for class, and reviewing the material. Include test-taking tips.

(Adapted from New Faculty: A Practical Guide for Academic Beginners by Christopher J. Lucas and John W. Murry, Jr.)

See below for Term Start activities to explore; click on activity titles below for more information.

Mindset GPS Syllabus Checklist: What is a Mindset GPS syllabus messaging checklist? This checklist is designed to help you evaluate and reflect on the messages conveyed in your course syllabus so you can embed motivationally-supportive language throughout it. We encourage you to review your syllabus, focusing each time on one of the three learning mindsets.

Mindset Supportive Welcome Message: A welcome message can be an initial strategy to promote a better Sense of Belonging, but you also can consider adding elements of Growth Mindset and Purpose & Relevance as well. This includes a sample template to adapt.

Support Mindset GPS on the First Day. This activity provide example scenarios/activities, based on the article How to Teach a Good First Day of Class by James Lang, that you can implement during your first day of class that would support your students’ learning mindsets. For Sense of Belonging, actions include arriving 10 minutes early and asking students to introduce themselves in small groups.

Current Confidence and Prior Experience Survey: At the start of a course or new unit, have students reflect on their current confidence and prior experience in the skills that they are about to learn. Check out an example used in one of our courses. Then, at the end of the course (or unit),  have students respond again to reflect on how their confidence and experience with those skills improved. As a variation on this activity, you also can have students reflect on what’s helped (or not helped) them learn similar skills in the past. (Growth Mindset, number 1). 

Student Interest Survey: At the start of the course, collect a survey to assess students' (a) interest and prior knowledge in your course topic, (b) interest in pursuing particular majors/minors, (c) interest in future careers, and/or (d) general interests and hobbies in life. (Purpose & Relevance, number 1).

1st Day Student Survey: On the first day of the course, ask students key questions to learn more about them. Surveying your students was also suggested as an active learning technique to appreciate their current skill levels, but additional questions can be added to appreciate student issues around belongingness (e.g., What concerns or questions do you currently have about the course?). Here is an example used in one of our courses. Then once collected, reach out to students individually over email (or create a single class email summarizing and addressing the major concerns/questions raised). (Sense of Belonging, number 1).

Value Writing Interventions: This is a writing exercise that students can complete one or more times during the semester. In this activity, students reflect on beliefs that help them stay motivated. Specifically, this activity asks students to focus on reasons for learning that go beyond the typical motives of making money or making family proud. 

Sense of Belonging Interventions. This is a writing exercise that students can complete during the semester. In this activity, students reflect on how their experiences in college may change over time. Specifically, this activity asks students to read example quotes from other college students and reflect on how their own feelings of belonging on campus may be similar to their peers.