Always on hand to provide assistance in integrating a wide variety of technologies in the teaching and learning process
William Donald Bain Family Professor of Law and Director of Artificial Intelligence Legal Innovation Strategy Joshua Fairfield will provide a fresh perspective on the ways artificial intelligence is actively transforming legal practice, sharing insights into recent breakthroughs, emerging practical uses, and the most pressing risks and opportunities for legal professionals today.
A new promotion from PayPal and Venmo provides their users with a one-year subscription to Perplexity Pro and access to the Comet AI browser at no cost. The Perplexity Pro plan, which is typically priced at $20 per month or $200 per year, includes unlimited searches, access to advanced AI models, and image generation capabilities.
The offer also includes access to the Comet AI browser, a Chromium-based (same open-source codebase beneath Chrome, Edge and Opera) browser with integrated AI functions. Normally, access to this browser is limited to invitees or subscribers of the Perplexity Max plan.
Comet has several unique features, chief among them a powerful AI assistant you can access at any time. It’s a chatbot that lives inside your web browser and can access the pages you open. (Unsurprisingly, Comet uses Perplexity as its default home page and search engine.)
To receive the offer, users must link their PayPal or Venmo account to Perplexity. This can be done through the PayPal or Venmo mobile apps or on a dedicated page on Perplexity’s website.
The following conditions apply:
The Harte Center was buzzing with great energy during our Fall Academy Open House!
Many thanks to everyone who explored all that we have to offer, from the Writing Center and Academic Success Coaching and Peer Tutoring to the PLAI Lab and Academic Technologies. It was wonderful to see returning colleagues and meet new colleagues discovering new ways the Harte Center can support teaching, learning, and collaboration across campus.
We look forward to working with you throughout the year—whether you’re seeking writing or tutoring support for your students or experimenting with AI in the classroom. The Harte Center is here to help make your academic journey even more impactful.
Dear Faculty,
We have just updated our Perusall reading annotation app to take advantage of additional features and functionality. To activate Perusall in your Canvas course, follow the instructions at Canvas Instructor Quick Setup. Additional information regarding Perusall setup is available at Getting Started for Instructors.
If you have used Perusall in the past, please note:
If you have any questions or experience any issues activating Perusall in your Canvas course, or want to learn more about Perusall, please contact Brandon Bucy.
On Wednesday, August 6, starting at 5:00 pm EST, Reclaim Hosting will be performing a scheduled PHP update on our WordPress multisite network.
To keep WordPress secure, stable, and running the latest features, it’s necessary to update the underlying PHP software that powers our sites. PHP updates help close potential security gaps, improve performance, and ensure future compatibility with plugins and themes.
We recognize that maintenance periods are inconvenient, but these updates are a vital part of system stewardship. Our hosting provider, Reclaim Hosting, will handle all technical details and minimize downtime as much as possible.
Please save all your work in WordPress and log out of your account before 5:00 pm EST on Wednesday, August 6.
Any changes not saved before the update begins risk being lost.
The site may be inaccessible for a period during the maintenance window.
This update is expected to take up to two hours.
Contact Helen at hmacdermott@wlu.edu with any questions or concerns.
Friday, September 19, 2025
9:00 am – 4:30 pm
Houston H. Harte Center for Teaching and Learning
@ Washington and Lee University
The PLAI Summit is a full-day event bringing together educators, students, and professionals to explore one of the most urgent questions of our time: how do we use AI to extend human capability—without compromising what makes us human?
Through hands-on demos, thought-provoking discussions, and multidisciplinary exchange, we’ll dive into how AI is reshaping art, society, science, and learning. The goal isn’t just to showcase innovation—it’s to build a shared awareness of when and why we choose to use AI, and when we deliberately choose not to.
We’re grateful to the faculty and students from 14 Spring Term classes who shared their work through presentations, performances, poster sessions, and creative displays during last week’s Spring Spotlight in the Harte Center. The energy, insight, and innovation on display truly captured the spirit of Spring Term at W&L.
If you didn’t get a chance to attend—or if you want to revisit some of the projects—be sure to explore the growing collection of student work on the Spring Spotlight website. You’ll find podcasts, short films, digital essays, and more—all reflecting the depth and diversity of learning across disciplines.
And it’s not too late to contribute! If your class created digital work that you’d like to see included on the site, please reach out to Helen MacDermott (hmacdermott@wlu.edu) to get started.
Thank you again to everyone who helped make this year’s Spotlight a meaningful and memorable celebration of student learning!
Looking for a way to help your students shine in their research presentations? The Visual Research Communication guide, crafted by the University Library, is a fantastic resource you can recommend to your classes.
This guide equips students with practical tools to create clear, compelling visuals—skills that will serve them well in coursework, conferences, and beyond.
We’d like to extend a special shout-out to the talented team behind this resource:
Their hard work and expertise have made this guide an invaluable asset for our academic community.
Please take a moment to share this link with your students: https://libguides.wlu.edu/vis-research/. It’s an impactful way to support their growth as scholars and communicators.
To request a 15-minute in-class session about effective poster design, please contact library@wlu.edu.
The Harte Center for Teaching and Learning invites you to the final “Films with Harte” screening of the Winter term: “After Yang,” a thought-provoking science fiction drama directed by Kogonada.
Join us on Friday, March 7th at 2:30 PM in Stackhouse Theater for a cinematic journey that explores the intricate layers of memory, identity, and the emotional existence of artificial intelligence.
“After Yang” follows a family grappling with the unexpected malfunction of Yang, an AI designed as a companion for their adopted daughter, Mika. As they work on repairs, they uncover Yang’s complex inner world, filled with emotions, memories, and his own unmet needs. This film beautifully raises questions about the nature of being and the bonds that form between humans and AI.
Please check out the “After Yang” digital viewing guide!
This event is FREE and open to the entire W&L community. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast, a film lover, or someone intrigued by the future of human-AI relations, “After Yang” will offer you plenty to reflect on. Join us for this final screening and bring your insights into the mix as we discuss the complex narratives woven into this lovely film.
A panel of Writing Center peer consultants will share their insights on how they approach writing, what works (and what doesn’t), and how faculty can better support student success.
Don’t miss this unique, candid conversation between students and faculty about making writing assignments more effective and engaging.
As part of the Harte Center for Teaching and Learning, the Writing Center is committed to helping students develop their written and oral communication skills — essential tools for success both in and beyond the classroom. Our consultants work with students at any stage of their projects, whether they’re drafting a research proposal, revising an essay, or preparing a presentation.
One of our greatest strengths is our staff. Our team includes both professional consultants and peer consultants:
Our consultants provide personalized, collaborative support to help students strengthen their communication skills, whether they’re working on academic essays, research projects, oral presentations, or even application materials like personal statements.
Please encourage students to take advantage of these services. Here are some ways you can help spread the word:
We’re here to partner with you in supporting your students’ academic success. Contact Bill Oliver if you’d like to collaborate on tailored workshops, class-specific resources, or if you’d like to require students to visit the Writing Center as part of their writing process for a particular assignment.
