GV to hold “Quest Series” centered around Chat GPT

On Feb. 22, GVSU’s Division of Academic Affairs will hold a Quest Series event that will feature the ChatGPT panel to discuss the technology of the program. 

The Quest Series is designed to create a forum in which the GVSU community can reflect and discuss timely issues. This panel will specifically focus on what ChatGPT is and is not, and what people could potentially expect in the future.

This panel is in collaboration with GVSU Information Technology. Panelists include Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Digital Officer at GVSU Milos Topic, Professor of Communication Studies Corey Anton, Associate Professor of Computing Jared Moore, Director of the Meijer Center for Writing Patrick Johnson, Associate Professor of Writing and Director of Digital Studies Laurence Jose and Associate Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Ben Rapin.

The event is taking place in person in Kirkhof Center Pere Marquette Room 2204 from 10-11 a.m. 

MI parent group encourages parents to opt students out of sex ed programs

Great Schools Initiative, a nonprofit organization based in Michigan, has coordinated a new campaign and opt-out form to have their students excluded from sex ed discussions. 

This movement comes as an attempt by parents who say they want to “shield students” from school lessons and conversations about sex, sexuality, gender and abortion.  

The Michigan Board of Education is pushing against this movement. The board has no enforcement methods to stop the campaign, but they hope to make recommendations against the campaign.

On Feb. 14, the board voted along party lines to request that local school boards require that parents who want to exclude their children from sex education in MI public schools use existing methods. 

Existing laws already require parents to be notified before sex ed discussions and assure that students can be opted out without consequences.

The Great Schools Initiative is connected to the Thomas More Society, a conservative law firm that has previously attempted to influence laws relating to abortion, prayer in school and LGBTQ rights.

The movement comes out of a growing movement across both Michigan and the nation surrounding debates over what parental rights look like in the scope of existing laws and practices.