The State University of New York at Old Westbury today announced a campus-wide artificial intelligence initiative to provide AI instruction for every undergraduate student and integrate AI across its teaching, research and operations – all while ensuring students, faculty and staff are equipped to apply the technology both ethically and innovatively.
“Quite simply, AI is here and we all must learn and adapt it as a tool of opportunity for everyone,” said President Timothy E. Sams. “With the growing demand for AI literacy from employers and students, we will integrate AI fluency alongside the critical thinking skills and ethical values we have long taught as a liberal arts institution.”
In remarks made during the campus’ inaugural Founders’ Day program, held as part of the University’s ongoing 60th anniversary celebration, Sams issued a charge to the campus’ recently empaneled AI Task Force to develop within 90 days an “AI@OW” plan that responds to the shift occurring in both higher education and the communities it serves.
As a campus committed to uplifting people through education and creating a more just, sustainable world, it’s our responsibility to ensure students from all corners of society don’t just use AI but lead with it. The success of our graduates tomorrow depends on how boldly we respond today.
- Timothy Sams, SUNY Old Westbury President
SUNY Old Westbury’s announcement comes as institutions nationwide react to the fast-changing impacts and practices being driven by AI. The initiative also supports New York State Governor Kathy Hochul’s commitment to advancing New York’s leadership in artificial intelligence research for the public good, including the launch in 2024 of the historic Empire AI initiative.
“On this anniversary of Old Westbury’s founding, the campus is setting new expectations for educational excellence to benefit all students,” SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said. “Under the leadership of President Sams, the campus continues to show us each day what’s possible for students through a public liberal arts education, and I am excited to see how this campus grows in its mission to provide access and upward mobility through a diverse and multicultural educational environment.”
In December 2024, the SUNY Board of Trustees adopted an update to SUNY’s general education framework to reflect the rise of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence in the existing information literacy core competency. This provision, along with the new general education framework core competency in civil discourse, takes effect in Fall 2026.
“As a campus committed to uplifting people through education and creating a more just, sustainable world, it’s our responsibility to ensure students from all corners of society don’t just use AI but lead with it,” said Sams. “We want them to use this evolving technology with vision, accountability, and integrity. The success of our graduates tomorrow depends on how boldly we respond today.”
The SUNY Old Westbury AI initiative will address:
- The need to educate every undergraduate student in AI in a way supportive of and meaningful to their interests and academic direction while having embedded understanding of the need for the use of AI for ethical innovation.
- The importance of building AI capability across the campus’ teaching and administrative operations to enhance learning, improve and strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration, and improve efficiency in the delivery of services to students and the community at-large.
- The identification or creation of applications and strategic opportunities for AI to improve research and experimentation efforts of students and faculty leading to improved productivity and innovation.
The 2025 Founders’ Day was the first of what is expected to become an annual tradition that honors the rich history and enduring legacy of SUNY Old Westbury by bringing together students, faculty, alumni and the community to commemorate the campus’ founding and its contributions to education and society. Going forward, Founders' Day will seek to honor the visionaries who created and served the campus over the course of its history while celebrating those who carry on their legacy.
In addition to the formal program, the Founders’ Day featured a reception to mark the opening of "Still, We Rise: Visionaries, Missionaries, and Transformations," an archival exhibit that traces SUNY Old Westbury's evolution from its glacial origins to its ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and social justice.
On display in the Amelie A. Wallace Gallery in the Old Westbury Campus Center, the exhibition spans three floors and charts the institution's deep ties to place, history, and activism. The Wallace Gallery is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Fridays from 12–4 pm, and by appointment.