Overview

• Boston University's Dean of Arts & Sciences, Stan Sclaroff, proposed using generative AI tools to replace the work of striking graduate students in course discussions and lab sections.
• The suggestion was made amid a strike by the Boston University Graduate Worker Union (BUGWU), which began on March 20, demanding fair wages and benefits.
• Faculty and union members criticized the proposal, highlighting the irreplaceable value of human educators and the potential quality loss in education.
• The university clarified that the suggestion was among several for managing academic work during the strike, not a plan to replace graduate student teaching assistants permanently.
• The strike has disrupted academic operations, affecting the university's 37,000-plus students, as negotiations between the university and the union continue.