THE AMHERST STUDENT

Executive Board

term. This has three two consequences: firstly, it reduces the paper-writing process to its few pages of final product instead of a synthesis of ideas in collaboration with existing debates, nullifying the possibility for interesting and original thought. Secondly, it encourages procrastination and lastminute completion of assignments — creating the stressful environment that drives students to use ChatGPT in the first place.

One solution is for classes to de-emphasize writing projects in favor of oral assignments. A shift towards oral exams and presentations could more effectively teach students how to communicate ideas clearly and formulate arguments in real time. This could also be a greater emphasis on discussion in even lecturebased classes, facilitating student engagement with peers. Rather than having classes centered around writing four or five major papers over the course of the semester or 10 mini-response papers, classes with one or two major papers that focus on the process of creating those papers could be much more effective in fighting the influx of ChatGPT product-oriented writing. We acknowledge that this argument works better in some disciplines than others — classes in STEM departments, such as computer science, are often forced to decenter discussion due to the structure of their discipline. Rather than making any finalized arguments ourselves, we call upon each department to rethink the structure of their own classes in response to ChatGPT.

These responses can be positive as well. From generating practice problems for effective studying to helping draft the wording for emails and cover letters, ChatGPT could bring many benefits to students. But in order to maximize these benefits, students must have resources that can guide safe usage of ChatGPT, encouraging us to explore rather than live in fear of the dystopian AI.

Whatever decision the college makes in regards to regulating usage of ChatGPT, its relevance to our lives shows no signs of waning. The Editorial Board believes that the administration must show their dedication to this issue, considering its potential ramifications on education at Amherst and nationwide. Most importantly, academic departments need to take active steps to preserve the learning process and combat the dangers of AI usage.

Unsigned editorials represent the views of the majority of the Editorial Board — (assenting: 13; dissenting: 0; abstaining: 4).

Editors-in-Chief

Liam Archacki

Sam Spratford

Senior Managing

Dustin Copeland

Kei Lim

Managing News

Ethan Foster

Leo Kamin

Michael Mason

Managing Features

Sonia Chajet Wides

Caelen McQuilkin

Eleanor Walsh

Managing Opinion

Tara Alahakoon

Yasmin Hamilton

Tapti Sen

Assistant Opinion

Stacey Zhang

Managing Arts & Living

Cassidy Duncan

Madeline Lawson

Noor Rahman

Managing Sports

Hedi Skali

Slate Taylor

Managing Puzzles

John Joire

Managing Podcast

Andrew Rosin

Assistant Podcast

Karina Maciel

Managing Design

Andrew Kim

Brianne LaBare

Managing Photo

Claire Beougher

Slate Taylor

Managing Graphics

Nina Aagaard

DEI Editor

Erin Williams

STAFF

Publisher

Robert Bischof

Digital Director

Sawyer Pollard

Social Media Manager

Emi Eliason

Letters Policy

The opinion pages of The Student are intended as an open forum for the Amherst community. We welcome responses 50-800 words in length to any of our recent articles and aim to publish a diversity of views and voices. If you would like to submit a response for consideration, it must be exclusive to The Student and cannot have been published elsewhere. The Student will print letters if they are submitted to the paper’s email account (astudent@ amherst.edu) or the article response form that can be found on The Student’s website, by 8 p.m. on Saturday, after which they will not be accepted for the week’s issue. Letters must bear the names of all contributors and an email address where the author or authors may be reached. Letters may be edited for clarity and Student style. The editors reserve the right to withhold any letter because of considerations of space or content.

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All rights reserved. The Amherst Student logo is a trademark of The Amherst Student, Inc. Additionally, The Amherst Student does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or age. The views expressed in this publication do not reflect the views of The Amherst Student.