Title of Policy: Considerations and Guidance for Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools

Guidelines in alignments with TSU LGIs, THEC and TN SCORE,
SREB AI Commission, and CHEA AI Accreditation Guidelines and review by TSU Stakeholders of Administrators, Faculty, Staff, Students.

Purpose

This policy provides guidelines for the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools at Tennessee State University (TSU). It ensures compliance with information security, data privacy, and regulatory requirements while promoting the ethical and effective use of AI technologies.

1. Scope

This policy applies to all TSU faculty, staff, students, employees, contractors, and affiliates who use AI tools for university-related activities.

2. General Guidelines

Tennessee State University (TSU) supports the responsible utilization of Artificial Intelligence following the accompanying guidelines.

All employees are required to consider information security, data privacy, and regulatory and policy compliance when selecting or purchasing software that incorporates AI.

Entering any data into an AI tool makes that data accessible within the tool and its operational environment. Therefore, an IT risk assessment review must be conducted before inputting any TSU data into a generative AI tool, regardless of whether it is publicly available or not, to ensure compliance with all relevant data privacy and security policies and guidelines.

Publicly accessible AI tools present increased privacy risks, particularly when entering sensitive campus data. This includes protected health information (PHI), personally identifiable information (PII), or other legally protected personal information such as that covered by FERPA, as well as any proprietary information. Unless campus IT has confirmed that the AI tool is HIPAA compliant and supports PHI input, protected data containing PHI should not be entered into an AI tool or other software. Furthermore, non-public or proprietary data should not be input into an open-source AI tool without prior approval from campus IT.

3. Administrative Use

Staff utilizing AI tools for institutional operations, such as drafting communications or generating reports, are required to verify the accuracy of the content produced. AI-generated content may contain inaccuracies, fabricated information referred to as "hallucinations," or copyrighted material.

AI technology must not be employed as a substitute for human decision-making in critical areas such as admissions, hiring, or disciplinary actions.

Compliance with copyright laws must be ensured when using AI-generated materials.

4. Academic Use

Instructors at Tennessee State University (TSU) hold the primary responsibility for integrating AI technologies into their courses. They are encouraged to exercise discretion in determining how AI tools may be used to enhance teaching, learning, and assessment. Instructors should consider the appropriateness of AI applications for their specific discipline, course objectives, and student needs.

All academic courses that incorporate AI tools must clearly outline their use in the course syllabus. Instructors are required to:

• Specify the types of AI tools that will be utilized.
• Detail the intended educational outcomes associated with AI use.
• Explain how AI will be integrated into assignments, projects, or assessments.
• Provide guidelines for ethical use and academic integrity concerning AI-generated content.

AI tools may only be utilized for educational purposes that support the learning objectives of the course. Acceptable uses include:

• Enhancing student engagement through interactive learning experiences.
• Providing personalized feedback and support to students.
• Assisting in research and data analysis relevant to course content.
• Facilitating collaborative projects that foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

AI tools may be used for within the legal specifications of the United States doctrine of the Fair Use Law. However, TSU executive leadership and Information Technology department holds the right to prohibit the use of any AI tool that violates any policy or regulation of the university.

STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE USE

1. PROHIBITED CONDUCT
   Students shall not:

• Submit AI-generated work as their own without proper attribution
• Use AI to complete exams or quizzes without explicit permission
• Share course materials with AI platforms without authorization
• Use AI to circumvent academic integrity policies
• Generate AI responses for other students' assignments
• Misrepresent AI-assisted work as fully original

2. DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS
   Students must:

• Declare AI use in submitted work
• Document specific AI tools utilized
• Retain records of AI interactions
• Clearly distinguish between AI-generated and original content
• Follow course-specific AI guidelines

3. VIOLATIONS AND SANCTIONS
   Level 1 Violations (Minor):

• First-time unauthorized AI use
• Failure to properly cite AI assistance
  Sanctions: Warning, grade reduction

Level 2 Violations (Moderate):

• Repeated unauthorized AI use
• Sharing course content with AI platforms
  Sanctions: Course failure, disciplinary probation

Level 3 Violations (Severe):

• Systematic AI cheating
• Distributing AI-generated materials
  Sanctions: Suspension, expulsion
   

4. REPORTING AND INVESTIGATION

• Faculty will report violations to Academic Affairs
• Students may appeal decisions through established procedures
• Documentation required for all incidents
• Confidential reporting mechanism available

5. EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT
   Institution will provide:

• AI literacy training for students and faculty
• Guidelines for appropriate AI use
• Resources for proper attribution
• Academic integrity workshops

5. Data Security and Privacy

Users must follow policies and relevant laws related to data privacy and security when using AI tools. It is recommended that users avoid entering sensitive or confidential information into AI systems unless the platform meets institutional security standards and has a campus agreement with the vendor.

Sharing personally identifiable information (PII), including FERPA, HIPAA, or confidential data, with any AI platforms that have not been approved by campus IT is prohibited.

6. Compliance & Enforcement

Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action, including loss of access to university IT resources or the appropriate reprimand as per the established university policy and procedures.

7. Investment in the Research of Innovation, Applied Use, and Workforce Preparedness

TSU will invest in research initiatives and partnerships to promote the development and innovation of appropriate utilization of AI to improve and enhance teaching, learning, and workforce preparedness. TSU will support the continuation of the ‘AI for ALL’ Research Center for Applied AI as a national research center for the exploration and evaluation of AI Tools and Professional Development /Training for AI to all stakeholders.

Offices of Academic Affairs, Students Affairs, Faculty and Staff Senates, and OTS will regularly review the impact of AI utilization and tools and provide updated guidance as technology evolves.

Guidelines Set by TSU’s Office of Academic Affairs

To ensure responsible use of generative AI on campus, the university has provided the following guidelines:

Each faculty member has the option to choose one of the three statements below, which may be adopted to reflect a given instructor’s course learning objectives.

1. The use of generative AI is strictly prohibited

Intellectual honesty is vital to an academic community and for fair evaluation of your work. Generative AI including but not limited to ChatGPT is not permitted. Use of such tools in this course, will violate the University Code of Honor Policy and will be treated as plagiarism.

2. Generative AI is permitted under some circumstances or with explicit permission

The use of generative AI, including platforms like ChatGPT, is allowed in specific situations and with explicit permission. However, it must be used responsibly and with appropriate citation. It may be used for assignment with appropriate citation. If you are in doubt as to whether you are using AI models appropriately in this course, you are encouraged to discuss your situation with the instructor of record. Any misuse or improper use of generative AI will be considered a violation of the University Code of Honor Policy and will be treated as plagiarism.

3. Broader use of generative AI is permitted within specified guidelines.

The use of generative AI, such as ChatGPT, is allowed for any assignment with the proper citation in this course. You are responsible for fact checking statements composed by all generative AI models. It is essential to adhere to these guidelines, as any misuse or improper use of generative AI will be regarded as a violation of the University Code of Honor Policy and will be treated as plagiarism.

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To make sure that you are not questioned on plagiarism and to add voice to your paper, consider the following standards set by the editor of the Brown University Library:

• Cite or acknowledge the outputs of generative AI tools when you use them in your work. This includes direct quotations and paraphrasing ("Generative Artificial Intelligence”).

• Read all the sources cited by the AI tool – they could be fake ("Generative Artificial Intelligence”).

• When in doubt, remember that we cite sources for two primary purposes: (1) to give credit to the author or creator; and (2), to help others locate the sources you used in your research ("Generative Artificial Intelligence”).

Work Cited

“Generative Artificial Intelligence.” Citation and Attribution, Brown University Library, 5 Feb.

2025, libguides.brown.edu/c.php?g=1338928&p=9868287.