The Environmental Scan, made filterable
Spring 2025 baseline — 8 regions, 122 colleges, 3 entries, 12 notes · updated scan (latest: June 2026) adds 8 source-verified findings (8 new). Every entry is tagged with one or more Vision 2030 domains: People · Policy · Systems · Resources.
San Diego / Imperial
filter to regionEngaged People
- 🆕Academic Senate AI Ad Hoc Committee established. The Southwestern College Academic Senate created an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Ad Hoc Committee whose mission is to 'research and make recommendations on Artificial Intelligence and to shape how SWC will use AI as a teaching and learning tool,' with a timeline to begin 10/20/2025 and end 5/31/2027. Voting members include faculty teaching online, a faculty member from the Region 10 Community of Practice, and a member from AAC&U's Institute on AI, Pedagogy, and the Curriculum. 2025 · high confidence — source
- 🆕AI professional development planned for staff development days. Per the AI Ad Hoc Committee charter, 'At least one Professional Development activity will occur during staff development days for Fall 2026, and Spring 2027,' with ongoing AI professional development opportunities planned starting Fall 2027. 2026 · high confidence — source
PeoplePolicySystems
Team/Lead: Southwestern College/ Senate/ PD Coordinator
- April 2023 Academic Senate approved the use of ChatGPT in campus computer labs
- August 2023 Professional Development Coordinator Jonathan Henderson said faculty has discretion on ChatGPT matters, though the college is likely to develop policy defining breach of academic integrity.
- Henderson said that regardless of how SC plans to regulate ChatGPT, students should be given the benefit of the doubt that they will use AI ethically.
1 linked resource(s) — show status
Policies
- 🆕Formal AI use policy in development (target March 2027). A goal of the Academic Senate AI Ad Hoc Committee is to 'Create a formal Policy and Procedure for AI use for faculty and student roles'; the charter states a new policy and procedure on AI will be approved by the Academic Senate no later than March 2027, with a review of existing policies that need updating completed no later than May 2027. 2025 · high confidence — source
- 🆕Optional AI syllabus statement being created. Among the AI Ad Hoc Committee's deliverables is to 'Create an optional syllabus statement on AI use' for faculty; this is a forthcoming, not-yet-published deliverable as of the committee charter (committee begins 10/20/2025). 2025 · high confidence — source
PolicyPeopleSystems
Team/Lead: Southwestern College
- Not yet found. Appears to rely on the student code of conduct academic integrity.
- AI Optional Language and Recommendations
- August 2023 Professional Development Coordinator Jonathan Henderson said faculty has discretion on ChatGPT matters, though the college is likely to develop policy defining breach of academic integrity.
- Henderson said that regardless of how SC plans to regulate ChatGPT, students should be given the benefit of the doubt that they will use AI ethically.
- April 2023 Academic Senate approved the use of ChatGPT in campus computer labs
1 linked resource(s) — show status
Resources
- 🆕Faculty AI toolbox planned for Fall 2026. The AI Ad Hoc Committee charter commits that 'An initial toolbox will be developed for faculty use in Fall 2026' covering how to use AI in the classroom, teach students to use AI ethically, and address AI use in student assignments, with a more comprehensive toolbox available no later than May 2027. 2026 · high confidence — source
- 🆕Inauthentic Enrollment (AI bot) Mitigation Taskforce. Southwestern College launched an 'Inauthentic Enrollment Mitigation Taskforce that meets regularly' in response to AI-driven fraudulent ('bot') enrollment; a district report cited by Voice of San Diego found around 1,600 of the college's 26,000 enrollees were bots, and officials dropped suspected bots en masse and required them to prove they were real. 2025 · high confidence — source
- 🆕Online Data Science & Artificial Intelligence career-training course. Southwestern College's career-training portal offers an online, self-paced 'Data Science & Artificial Intelligence' course (third-party/ed2go-style continuing education) teaching Python programming, machine learning, data analysis, automation, and SQL querying to build AI-powered applications; a companion 'Python for Machine Learning & Data Science' course is also offered. undated · medium confidence — source
- 🆕AI bot/financial-aid fraud documented by student newspaper. The SWC student newspaper (The Sun, May 5, 2025) reported fraudulent AI-generated 'fake students' enrolling to collect financial aid, blocking real students and inflating enrollment; President Mark Sanchez initially cited 'around 400 bots' while reporting suggested the figure could be far higher, and VP Rachel Fisher said the district was working to collect additional information. 2025 · medium confidence — source
ResourcesPeopleSystems
Team/Lead: Southwestern College
- PD
- The Professional Development Department workshop showcased the learning and teaching potential of the chatbot. It was guided by Dr. Ryan Watkins, Professor of Educational Technology at the George Washington University.
- Courses
- Three Powerful AI for Professional Training