Lake Land College is making a significant investment in artificial intelligence to support academic success, with the Board of Trustees approving a two-year, $63,750 contract for a campus-wide license for Grammarly for Education.

The decision, made at the board’s June 9 meeting, follows a successful pilot program in the spring of 2025 that received overwhelmingly positive feedback from students and faculty. The contract will provide up to 2,500 students, faculty, and staff with access to the premium AI-powered writing tool.

The expenditure includes $30,000 for the 2025-2026 academic year and $33,750 for 2026-2027, funded through Library Services.

Dr. Ikemefuna Nwosu, Vice President for Academic Services, presented the request on behalf of the college’s Academic Services AI Task Force, which spent the past academic year researching the responsible integration of AI in educational settings.

A memo from the task force, chaired by Director of Library Services Sarah Hill, detailed the results of the spring pilot. Surveys of Grammarly users found that over 87% of faculty and staff were likely to recommend the tool to peers, and 87% agreed it helped reduce errors in their writing. Among students, 88% indicated Grammarly helped them feel more confident in their writing, and 69% felt it helped them use generative AI more responsibly.

“While a few reported minor technical problems involved with installation… the survey results were overwhelmingly positive,” the task force report stated.

The task force outlined several key goals that the Grammarly adoption would support, including promoting responsible AI usage, protecting student data with institutional controls, reinforcing academic honesty, and helping students revise their writing. A primary benefit highlighted was ensuring equitable access to high-quality writing support for all students, “not just those who can afford premium plans.”

The move to purchase Grammarly is part of a broader college strategy to embrace AI as an educational tool. The task force also recommended hosting “Laker Innovation Camp” training sessions for faculty on AI, developing Canvas learning modules for students and instructors, and producing educational videos on the topic.

The contract with Grammarly, Inc. of San Francisco was approved without a bidding process, as the purchase of data processing software and services is exempt under the Illinois Public Community College Act.

The board approved the two-year contract unanimously, positioning Lake Land College to be a regional leader in leveraging AI technology to enhance learning and academic integrity.