Talladega College Hosts Faculty and Staff Institute Focused on Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Higher Education
January 7, 2026
This week, Talladega College is hosting its 2026 Faculty and Staff Institute, bringing together faculty and staff from across the institution for shared learning, collaboration, and professional development. The Institute will feature an Artificial Intelligence session supported through a pilot collaboration with Cisco’s Community Enablement team.
The three-day Institute reflects Talladega College’s ongoing commitment to preparing students for a rapidly changing world while supporting faculty and staff as educators, mentors, and institutional leaders. Beginning with the Fall 2026 entering class, the College will ensure that all undergraduates develop foundational competency in artificial intelligence.
This particular Faculty and Staff Institute is designed to foster shared understanding of artificial intelligence and its growing role in higher education, workforce readiness, and campus operations. The Institute emphasizes responsible, ethical, and mission-aligned engagement with AI and is intentionally introductory in nature. It is not a technical training or certification program, nor does it mandate immediate changes to courses or professional practice.
Approximately 200 faculty and staff members from academic and administrative areas will participate in the special AI instruction. The program will feature an opening plenary session titled AI at Talladega College: Why This Matters Now, followed by rotating breakout sessions that explore foundational questions about artificial intelligence, ethical considerations, academic integrity, student preparation, and the role of AI in supporting faculty and staff work without replacing human judgment.
Cisco’s Community Enablement team will support the Institute by facilitating dialogue and providing research-informed perspectives on workforce readiness, ethical technology adoption, and institutional change. Cisco’s role is designed to support shared understanding and thoughtful discussion rather than to prescribe tools or platforms.
“Throughout the day, participants will engage in discussions centered on plain-language explanations of AI, responsible and ethical use, human-centered decision-making, and the implications of AI for teaching, assessment, advising, and campus operations,” says Talladega College Provost and Vice-President A. Clifton Myles. “The Institute is grounded in respected research from national and international higher education and policy organizations, ensuring that conversations are informed by evidence rather than hype.”
Faculty and staff will leave the Institute with a clearer understanding of how artificial intelligence is already shaping higher education, greater confidence in discussing AI responsibly with students, and a shared sense of how individual roles connect to Talladega College’s institutional direction. Insights from the convening will help inform future conversations around curriculum, project-based learning, faculty development, and policy as the College continues its measured, values-driven approach to innovation.
