The Daily Iowan WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2023
THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA COMMUNITY SINCE 1868
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ARTIFICIAL LEARNING
UI and other Big Ten institutions navigate ethics, use of artificial intelligence. ten work with prompts.
Sabine Martin Executive Editor
Universities navigate AI guidance
sabine-martin@uiowa.edu
Jami Martin-Trainor Managing Digital Editor
jami-martin-trainor@uiowa.edu
For an hour and 15 minutes twice a week, University of Iowa students file into the Seamans Center to talk about ChatGPT, its uses, and related ethical concerns in the course “Generative AI Tools: ChatGPT and Beyond.” Tyler Bell, an assistant professor in the UI College of Engineering, teaches the class. Bell said the course was “birthed over the summer.” “My approach, especially as an educator myself, is to treat tools like these as another tool in the toolbox,” Bell said. “There needs to be some guidelines, but [we should] encourage the use of these tools so that the students that come out of our programs can use them effectively.” With the increased presence of artificial intelligence on college campuses, UI professors across areas of study are adding a new section to their syllabi to implement AI into the classroom. ChatGPT, Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer, is an AI chatbot that can produce extended writ-
“There needs to be some guidelines, but [we should] encourage the use of these tools so that the students that come out of our programs can use them effectively.” Tyler Bell
Assistant professor in the College of Engineering
When ChatGPT was released to the public in November 2022, the initial public reaction — at least at universities — was fear of using artificial intelligence to cheat. Those fears were found to have some merit. In February, The Daily Iowan spoke with an anonymous UI student who used ChatGPT to generate an essay that received an A grade. The UI has given faculty and students some guidance with AI. The UI released tips on AI usage for faculty on Aug. 7 and added a clause about AI into the university’s code of student life. The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost wrote in a statement to the DI that the university is monitoring the impact of AI on academics. The DI requested an in-person interview with UI Provost Kevin Kregel, but was denied. “Our core mission remains providing a transformational educational experience that prepares our students for success, and a key part of our strategy is engaging students in ongoing conversations about AI and academic integrity to ensure they understand how to leverage AI tools appropriately,” the provost office wrote in a statement. Other universities in the Big Ten are treating AI similarly to the UI’s approach. Ohio State University released considerations for teaching with AI and updated its code of conduct to restrict students from using AI to complete course assignments for
AI | 2A
INSIDE
BOARD OF REGENTS
DEI survey sent to students, faculty The regents are seeking feedback on DEI policies.
Archie Wagner Amplify Editor
New-look offense, homegrown defense The Hawkeyes picked up several offensive weapons in the transfer portal. SPORTS | 1B
80 HOURS: UI alumni feature local artists at flea market The outdoor flea market started by three UI alumni now hosts over 35 artists and vendors. 80 HOURS | 1C
Streamed live at 8:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Always available on dailyiowan.com
archie-wagner@uiowa.edu
A survey by the members of the diversity, equity, and inclusion study group of the state Board of Regents was sent out to students and faculty of Iowa’s three regent universities on Aug. 7 as the next step in the investigation of DEI programs. The investigation into DEI programs at regent institutions comes after regents President Mike Richards paused the implementation of new programs
to conduct a study of DEI efforts. Richards announced the pause on March 14. Before his statement, the Iowa Legislature introduced House File 218 on Feb. 28. The bill would have prohibited regent institutions from funding DEI programs and hiring staff to serve in positions relating to DEI, but the legislation did not pass. Richards, in his statement, wrote that the regents would be establishing a working group to lead this study. The group is composed of regents members David Barker, Jim Lindenmayer, and Greta Rouse.
At a meeting of the regents on April 20, Richards said there would be an opportunity for members of the universities to provide feedback. The survey, which was e-mailed out to the faculty and students at the regents’ schools, is composed of questions focused on topics of DEI at universities. One question asks the participant to rank, based on their opinion, the need for policies limiting DEI programs and activities on a scale of one to five. At the UI, some of these programs include support and programming for first generation
students and low income students, in addition to a centralized office for bias, harassment, discrimination, equity, free speech, and sexual misconduct concerns reporting. In an email to The Daily Iowan, Liz Tovar, UI Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion executive officer and associate vice president wrote that the robust exchange of ideas is important to the UI’s leadership as a research institution. “That’s why Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is a key part of our
REGENTS | 3A
Former UI student at large, parents on trial Lima and Alfred Younes allegedly misled authorities on their son’s whereabouts. Cooper Worth Pregame Reporter
cooper-worth@uiowa.edu
Former University of Iowa student Ali Younes is still on the run after fleeing the United States to avoid a criminal trial for charges of attempted murder, first-degree robbery, and first-degree theft. In his absence, Ali Younes’ parents. Lima Khairi Mohammad Younes, 45, and Alfred Ali Mohammad, 49, have been charged with assisting with their son’s escape. Ali Younes, 20, is accused of tack-
ling a woman on the UI campus in April 2022, choking her unconsciousness, and stealing her earrings valued at $20,000. He was charged with attempted murder, first-degree robbery, and first-degree theft. In June 2022, Judge Christopher Bruns of the Sixth Judicial District of Iowa lowered bail for Ali Younes from $350,000 to $125,000. Bruns ordered him upon release to wear a GPS ankle monitor and be on house arrest at the Younes’ home in Sutherland, Iowa, and only be allowed to leave the house to meet
with his lawyer or with permission from his parole officer. According to court documents, Lima Younes and Alfred Younes aided in their son’s escape. On May 3, the couple sold one of their vehicles for $20,000 and rented a Chrysler Pacifica minivan. On the morning of May 6, the parents — along with Ali Younes, his grandmother, Wafe Najim, and the Youneses’ 17-year-old daughter — departed from their home to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport so their son could fly to Jordan. Ali Younes was required to sur-
render his passport upon making bail, but was allowed to board the Royal Jordanian Airlines flight using his Jordanian passport. The U.S. doesn’t have an extradition treaty with Jordan. Lima Younes was arrested on May 9 by UI police on a warrant with assistance from the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office. Alfred Younes was arrested on May 9 in Omaha, Nebraska, at Eppley Airfield by the Omaha Police Department’s Fugitive Apprehen-
YOUNES | 3A