Weytkp. Bonjour. Hello everyone,
It’s been a heavy week for many in our community, particularly with the news from Tumbler Ridge. I want to acknowledge that weight as we continue our work together. Please take care of yourselves and one another, and seek support if needed. Kw’seltktnéws.
TRU horAIzon: Safe start framework coming in March
This week, the team wrapped up final drafts of five foundational Safe Start resources. Starting in March, these will be available for use across the university:
Safety guardrails
Practical guidance designed to care for our people, thoughtfully safeguard our community’s data, and steward TRU well. So we can explore AI with confidence, responsibility, and deep respect for what matters most.
Proper use guidelines
Foundational, need‑to‑know best practices for anyone using AI, offering a shared starting point as we learn together. In parallel, workgroups are developing role‑specific guidance for students, faculty, staff, and researchers with more detail.
Escalation and incident reporting
A clear pathway for escalation when things go wrong — such as accidental uploads of personally identifiable information (PII) data so the right teams can take timely, responsible action to keep us all safe.
Suggested tools
Our approach to AI tools is based on data sensitivity, not popularity. This resource explains how we assess tools and when additional review (e.g. privacy) is required.
Frequently asked questions
A growing set of community‑driven questions about AI, responsibility, and risk. By sharing these transparently, we can learn from one another and collectively shape how AI shows up at TRU.
Safe Start is about creating shared confidence as we engage with AI — confidence that we’re protecting our people, our data, and our values while still learning and experimenting. By setting a common baseline, we can move forward thoughtfully and responsibly, and foster a culture where everyone can innovate safely. Thank you to the 500+ voices whose feedback shaped this work.
What’s happening around our campus
Advancement AI lunch‑and‑learn:
President Airini spent time with the Advancement team at a casual AI “lunch‑and‑Copilot.” Alongside bowls of chili, the team sharpened their AI skills and shared that they’ll continue these co‑learning sessions.
Teaching and learning support:
CELT continues to offer programming for educators focused on AI and learning. A full calendar of workshops, AI Bytes, and Faculty Fr-AI-days is available here.
AI at the Budget Town Hall and TRU Talks:
We discussed AI at both the Budget Town Hall and TRU Talks with President Airini. The conversation focused on the importance of a pan‑institutional approach — one that engages with AI in ways grounded in TRU’s values and history. Our work is not about adopting technology for its own sake, but about approaching AI mindfully and responsibly. That is where we aim to lead: in responsible, applied AI.
TRU’s values are strong. As our values statement reminds us: “Respectful relations define our behaviour. We respect each other (Xyemstwécw), the land, knowledge, and the peoples of our region and beyond.” We continue to raise the bar on what this means in practice as new technologies emerge.
We continue to value thoughtful, respectful engagement from across our community, and believe there are few better places than a university to surface diverse perspectives, wrestle with complexity, and ask hard questions. Thank you to everyone who shared questions and reflections. Feedback is always welcome at horaizon@tru.ca, and we’ll continue to share responses transparently through our FAQ when it goes live.
Ways to get involved with TRU horAIzon
Integrating AI into curriculum (AMII):
Through TRU’s partnership with the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (AMII), a call for proposals is now open for faculty interested in developing AI‑enabled curriculum resources. Thank you to Adina Gray for leading this partnership.
Sharing great AI work with the community:
Thank you Alexis Brown for creating an AI Repository where colleagues can share AI presentations with the wider TRU community. We invite you to contribute your materials.
Looking ahead
Our approach to AI will remain iterative, inclusive, and community‑minded — with sustainability and curiosity at the centre. As the technology continues to evolve, we’ll keep building strong feedback loops so our work stays relevant, grounded, and responsive to our community.
TRU horAIzon’s first priority is simple: to ensure our community has access to the resources they need to feel safe, supported, and confident as we engage with AI. We’re building this together, and our direction is strongest when it reflects lived experience across TRU.
Feedback is a gift. Please share thoughts and suggestions to horaizon@tru.ca.
Kukwstsétsemc and thank you,
Andrea Li
Special Advisor to the President on AI
Questions: horaizon+andrea@tru.ca