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AI Landscape by Region
Spring 2025 baseline · June 2026 update
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Fresno City College

Region: Central Valley / Mother Lode

At a glance

Fresno City College's AI activity spans professional development, student services, and workforce preparation, led by library faculty Linda Kobashigawa, business professor Rio Waller, and entrepreneurship instructor Amber Balakian. The college is midway through a three-year grant to develop tailored classroom AI tools, co-hosts free public AI workshops with Fresno State, and co-founded a regional cybersecurity consortium building an AI-cybersecurity pathway. FCC deployed a Gravyty chatbot for student services, though it has drawn criticism for outdated responses.

Updated Scan Findings

5 new 🆕· 5 source-verified findings from the updated web scan
AI-Engaged People, Processes & Timelines · 2
  • 🆕Free public AI training workshops with Fresno State (Summer 2026). FCC and Fresno State co-developed two free, five-hour hands-on public AI workshops (June 6, 2026 at Fresno State; July 11, 2026 in FCC's Old Administration Building Auditorium), co-led by FCC information systems professor Todd McLeod and Fresno State CS chair Dr. Shih-Hsi (Alex) Liu, focused on effective prompting using tools like Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, or Copilot. Sponsored by Granville Homes, with student tutors from both campuses assisting. 2026 · high confidence — source
  • 🆕AI-readiness working group led by entrepreneurship instructor. FCC entrepreneurship instructor Amber Balakian leads a working group focused on AI readiness, informing faculty and students about AI's anticipated workplace impact and emphasizing skills such as freelancing in an AI-shifted job market. 2025 · medium confidence — source
AI Courses, Tools & Resources · 3
  • 🆕Three-year grant to implement AI in the classroom. FCC is in a three-year grant to figure out how to implement AI into the classroom and develop tailored AI tools that enhance learning and support teachers while addressing effective and ethical AI use, led by Professor Rio Waller (Computer Information Technology) and her team. Quote from Waller: 'We are in a three-year grant to implement AI, to figure out how to implement AI into the classroom and what are the things we need to think about and what are the things to plan for.' 2025 · high confidence — source
  • 🆕'Sam the Ram' AI chatbot (Gravyty) criticized as outdated. FCC deploys an AI student-services chatbot dubbed 'Sam the Ram' after its mascot, part of a nearly $870,000 three-year State Center Community College District contract with Gravyty (formerly Ocelot) running through June 20, 2026. A CalMatters investigation found the chatbot gave unclear or incorrect answers to basic campus-service questions; an FCC student government VP called it 'outdated.' 2026 · high confidence — source
  • 🆕Central San Joaquin Valley Cybersecurity Consortium / AI-Cybersecurity pathway. FCC co-founded (with Fresno State) the Central San Joaquin Valley Cybersecurity Consortium, born from a grant by FCC business education dean Timothy Woods and Fresno State professor Keith Clement; a founding regional summit was held at FCC in November 2024. The consortium is developing a regional AI-Cybersecurity pipeline/pathway; per FCC cybersecurity instructor Verne Farley, 'The idea is to get schools, local businesses, local technology and government agencies altogether talking about cyber and AI.' 2025 · medium confidence — source

Spring 2025 baseline

AI-Engaged People, Processes & Timelines

V2030: PeopleV2030: ResourcesV2030: Systems
Team/Lead: Fresno City College/Library Faculty Linda Kobashigawa/Business Faculty Rio Waller

AI Policies

V2030: PolicyV2030: Resources
Team/Lead: Fresno City College
  • Not yet found. Appears to rely on the Student Code of Conduct professor to professor.
  • Library guide advises:
  • A note about using generative AI in your coursework
  • “We have developed citation guidance with the assumption that you are allowed to use AI in your school work. However, each of your instructors may have different policies about using AI tools, like ChatGPT, in their courses. We recommend thoroughly reading the course policies, syllabus, and checking with your instructors to understand their classroom policies concerning AI.”

AI Courses, Tools & Resources

V2030: ResourcesV2030: PeopleV2030: Systems
Team/Lead: Fresno City College

Entities from the knowledge graph

college: Fresno City Collegeinitiative: Fall 2024 SLO Symposiuminitiative: Fall 2024 AI Grantinitiative: Spring 2025 Flex on AI Playlistinitiative: Spring 2024 PD at FCC Youtube Spring AI Seriesinitiative: Student Panel - AI Through a Student's Perspectiveinitiative: Computer Information Technology (CIT) Programorganization: FCC Professional Development Committeeorganization: Fresno City College Library Facultyperson: Linda Kobashigawaperson: Rio Waller

Links & artifacts

AI-Engaged People, Processes & Timelines · 7
AI Policies · 2
AI Courses, Tools & Resources · 7

Contacts at this college

Name / RoleEmailPhone
LK
Linda Kobashigawa
Library Faculty
linda.kobashigawa@fresnocitycollege.edu(559) 442-8200
RW
Rio Waller
Business Faculty
rio.waller@fresnocitycollege.edu