University of Minnesota Duluth implements new policy for using A.I.

Artificial Intelligence is a controversial topic when it comes to college students using it to write their assignments. In just a few weeks, the fall semester at UMD will begin. For the past several months, the university staff created a new policy regarding students who try to use A.I. Some of common generative A.I. college student use are ChatGPT or Grammerly to write assignments.

Associate professor Alexis Elder was on the committee who developed the A.I. policy. She says the new policy for using A.I. will begin this fall.

“It’s a hot topic right now. We’d like students to be conversant in it and universities are good places to explore and to learn. But also, it’s not appropriate for every task or every context,” Elder said. So we want students to have some understanding of guidelines and limitations and frameworks to work with.”

Professor Elder says there are college programs and classes at UMD available to students who want to learn about A.I. However, Elder says A.I. is a tool. But just like any tool, people can misuse it. Which is why students should talk openly with professors on what assignments can used generative artificial intelligence. 

“The way the policy is constructed, we’ve got two main parts. One is just about making sure that you have clear permission and specifying what that looks like so that students understand when and where and how it’s okay,” Elder said. “Making expectations transparent, especially in an environment where it might be more appropriate for one class than another. Or within a class for one assignment rather than another. But the second half of the policy focuses on a set of concerns that aren’t just about whether or not you should use A.I., but how to use it well.”

If a student is using A.I. improperly when it comes to their classes, Elder says it’s a conversation between the professor and the student on what should be done for disciplinary action.

“With any academic misconduct, this is very much kind of at the discretion of the instructor. It’s typically built into the syllabus and the assignment. So there isn’t really a one-size-fits-all answer,” Elder said. “But it’s a conversation between the student and the professor grounded by the expectations of the class. Which are typically laid out in the syllabus and the assignment.”

Currently the UMD doesn’t use any A.I. detection tools to see if any assignments have been written by generative A.I. According to UMD officials, they claim there’s too many false positives.

For more information about UMD students and the new policy for using AI you can read more here. Also for other stories involved with artificial intelligence you can read more here.