Academic integrity and the ethics of use continue to be at the forefront of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) conversations in higher education. While some proponents feel the technology has presented opportunities for equity across diverse student populations, others feel the use of such tools contributes to an erosion in how students demonstrate learning.
Memorial’s statement on GAI use clearly indicates that faculty provide students clear guidelines around acceptable use of GAI in their courses. Expectations may vary from course to course, creating added confusion for students. Therefore, adding a clear statement in your syllabus, and drawing your students’ attention to it, is a proactive approach to mitigating inappropriate use.
Some strategies to consider are:
- Update your academic integrity statement on your syllabus to explicitly include a reference to the use of any GAI in your course. You may choose to take a graduated approach or advise your students that it is not permitted at all. CITL has drafted and curated some statements for you to consider.
- Talk to your students about academic integrity and the ethics of using GAI tools. Have an open conversation so your students are clear on your expectations. You can emphasize that you understand why some students may find tools like this helpful to their learning but also highlight your concerns. Consider some of the points covered in the GAI Conversation Guide.
- Direct your students to the Library’s Academic Integrity resources, specifically the resource on AI and your academic work.
- If you permit use, encourage your students to review the Terms of Use of the tools before doing so. Specifically, direct them to sections about the use of content shared in the application and confidentiality.
Additional considerations to help prevent misuse of GAI tools.
- Allow for sufficient time between assignments. Students may look for shortcuts like using GAI when faced with time pressure from tight deadlines.
- Help your students understand the value of their learning and the importance of academic integrity in terms of their intellectual and professional growth.
- Encourage your students to use Writing Services to help them through the writing process. Peer tutors help students learn skills such as writing better thesis statements, brainstorming, organizing ideas, and writing more concisely. Being equipped with these skills enables a student to build self-confidence and not feel the need to rely on GAI tools.
Originally Published: January 28, 2026
