Advancing AI Readiness Across the Texas State University System

Across the Texas State University System (TSUS), a clear pattern is emerging: our institutions are leaning in on Artificial Intelligence. As AI accelerates across higher education, each campus is taking purposeful steps to help faculty, staff, and students understand, experiment with, and meaningfully integrate these new capabilities. 
 
While approaches vary – as they should in a diverse System - the collective direction is unmistakable. Together, we are building practical, accessible on-ramps that make adoption less overwhelming and more empowering. What is taking shape is a growing network of resources and collaborations helping our campuses move forward with clarity. 

A System Leaning In 

AI adoption isn’t unfolding as a single top-down directive; it is emerging as a constellation of campus-level efforts. Each institution is investing in ways that match its mission, yet all share a common posture: curiosity, urgency, and a willingness to build real capability rather than wait for “perfect” conditions.  

Here is a snapshot of how our partner campuses are translating that posture into action: 

• Lamar University (LU) has established a formal University AI Committee and a dedicated Manual of Administrative Policies and Procedures (MAPP) for AI. Through close collaboration between IT and data governance, they are piloting Microsoft Copilot pilot with data protection and launching “Chirp,” an AI-driven chatbot for student support.  
• Texas State University (TXST) has taken a phased approach—explore, build, integrate, expand. They now report 165,000 AI tool licenses across six enterprise platforms and over 100 AI-integrated courses. Their scale positions TXST as a leader in building a coordinated ecosystem that touches curriculum, student services, and operations. 
• Sam Houston State University (SHSU) is leading with a comprehensive educational ecosystem. This includes a fully online faculty certification course (Using Generative AI in Teaching and Learning), the SamPoly Practical Artificial Intelligence & Intelligent Automation program, and a university-wide AI Guide. Coordinated governance groups, including the AI Policy Council, ensure responsible adoption across campus. 
• Sul Ross State University (SRSU) focuses on student success and compliance. Career Services uses AI platforms like Quinncia and Handshake to support job readiness, while faculty participate in SHSU’s certification program and local “AI Thursdays.” An AI Task Force is currently developing comprehensive policies to align with state requirements. 
• Lamar State College Orange (LSCO), and Lamar State College Port Arthur (LSCPA) demonstrate pragmatic, discipline-specific adoption. LSCO focuses on AI literacy workshops that frame AI as an assistant rather than a shortcut. Meanwhile, LSCPA blends AI with immersive technologies, using TRUE-funded HoloAnatomy tools in nursing and biology, while faculty incorporate AI prompts into creative arts curricula. 
• Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) threads AI through Data Analytics and CIS courses, teaching students to debug code and apply machine learning. System-wide professional development (powered by SHSU Online) helps English instructors use AI as “conversation partners” for literary analysis, while Starfish predictive analytics monitor student success. 
  
  

The Bigger Picture 

Across the System, AI is becoming a literacy rather than a niche specialty. From TXST’s “AI Foundations” badge to SHSU’s NASH Microcredentials pilot – where AI support boosted Google Career Certificate completion rates from about 2% to 40% - the data proves that AI can help close gaps rather than widen them. 

AI Support from SHSU Online: What This Means for You  

Regardless of where you stand on AI – curious, cautious, or undecided – SHSU Online offers resources to help you make informed choices. Our goal is to make AI feel less like a moving target and more like an accessible set of tools that reduce workload and support learning. 

1. You Are Not Starting from Scratch on Policy. If you are figuring out how to discuss AI with students, you don’t have to draft policy alone. The Academic Integrity & AI Integration organization in Blackboard offers: 

• Sample AI syllabus policies for different levels of use. 
• Student-facing resources you can link directly in your course. 
• Guidance on ethics, bias, and the limits of AI detection tools. 

• AI Design Assistant Webinars: Learn to use Blackboard’s built-in tools to generate rubrics, test questions, and course structures. 
• Assessment Design: “Assessment in the Age of AI” sessions focus on designing projects that measure learning even when students have AI access. 
• Faculty Certification: Our fully online course, Using Generative AI in Teaching and Learning, answers the practical questions: How do I design assessments that make sense? What is realistic for this semester?  
  

Moving Forward 

AI is no longer a distant horizon; it is a present force. The TSUS institutions demonstrate that there is no single “right” way to prepare – only viable approaches that reflect local context. As you navigate this evolving landscape in your own courses, SHSU Online stands ready to support you every step of the way.