The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has introduced Cornelius, a new AI-powered chatbot designed to enhance student support. This technological leap promises to streamline communication and provide students with instant answers to various university-related queries.
Students at UNL can now text Cornelius with questions ranging from academic concerns to housing and financial aid, receiving immediate responses thanks to this innovative tool.
Empowering Student Interaction
Amy Goodburn, the senior associate vice chancellor and dean of undergraduate education, emphasized the chatbot’s role in student support. “Based on their interactions, once they type in a response, the chat bot will give them back some resources or further information about whatever topic is being addressed,” she explained.
Beyond just responding to inquiries, Cornelius proactively checks in with students to offer continual support. Within its first week, the chatbot engaged in over 15,000 conversations, highlighting its potential for impact.
Technology and Customization
Developed with technology from EdSights, Cornelius is part of a broader initiative involving over 100 universities, including Nebraska’s Omaha and Kearney campuses. Messages within the chatbot are tailored to adhere to university guidelines, with input from subject-matter experts ensuring accuracy, particularly in areas like financial aid.
Lydia Coulson, the university communications specialist overseeing Cornelius’ implementation, noted the rigorous review process: “For example, financial aid is something that is very heavily regulated, and it’s very important to provide accurate, up-to-date information to students, and so that was something that folks from Husker Hub and our financial aid office did take the time to review every entry for.”
Funding and Operations
A $1 million grant from a private foundation has been allocated to UNL, UNO, and UNK to support and develop their chatbots over three years. Although the foundation remains unnamed, it has previously funded similar technology for state colleges in Nebraska. While daily operations are managed by university staff, a student intern contributed to the chatbot’s visual design.
Student Feedback and Challenges
Student reactions to Cornelius have been mixed. Concerns include distrust of AI, potential conflicts with academic policies, and questions about budgetary priorities during financial cutbacks (source).
The chatbot has also been a subject of discussion on Yik Yak, where it faced humorous yet hostile comments. “I’m going to hunt Cornelius down and cook him with butter,” one user quipped, garnering significant attention.
In response, Goodburn has addressed the seriousness of such comments, noting, “You can play around with it, but it’s really not a game. It’s alerting our resources, and we don’t want to waste our police department’s time if their threat is not credible.”
Usage and Benefits
Despite some negative feedback, a substantial 94% of students have opted to receive messages from Cornelius, with 40% actively engaging in conversations. This interaction provides valuable insights into student needs, as Goodburn highlighted when noting a surge in enrollment-related questions.
Ultimately, the university aims for students to recognize the utility of Cornelius. Coulson expressed hope that students will appreciate the resource, stating, “I think our hope is that, ultimately, students have a strong understanding of the resource, and we hope that they’ll feel it’s helpful.”
