AI Guidelines for Faculty

Ethical Use of AI

TSC recognizes the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing teaching, learning, and academic productivity. To ensure responsible and ethical integration of AI tools, our faculty is committed to the following principles:

Purposeful Use

• AI will be used to support teaching and learning, including but not limited to generating:
  • Study guides, datasets, and examples
  • Supplementary materials and practice problems
  • Revising course content
  • Aligning objectives and outcomes
  • Creating rubrics and developing assignments relevant to disciplines.
• AI tools will be used to enhance access to learning resources and support all students' needs.

Academic Integrity

• Faculty will model ethical use of AI for students, ensuring transparency in how AI-generated materials are used.
• Faculty will verify the accuracy and appropriateness of AI-generated content, maintaining academic standards and integrity.
• Faculty will remain attentive to unintended influences present in AI-generated outputs and actively work to address them within our instructional approaches.

Privacy and Confidentiality

• Faculty will protect student data and privacy when using AI tools, following institutional and legal guidelines.

Professional Judgment

• AI will serve as a thought partner and tool for innovation, but faculty retain responsibility for final decisions regarding course content, assessment, and feedback.
• Faculty will use AI to assist with tasks such as editing, proofing, brainstorming, and research, but will always apply professional judgment to ensure quality and relevance

AI Evaluation and Risks

Faculty play a critical role in balancing innovation with institutional security. Below are the essential highlights regarding AI usage at the College.

The "Must-Know" Essentials

• Mandatory Vetting: All AI tools, including those used for research or integrated into existing software, must be vetted and approved by IT before use.
• 30-Day Lead Time: Submit your request to IT at least 30 days before you plan to use a tool to allow for security and compliance reviews.
• No Automated Decisions: AI must not be used for automated decisions (like grading or admissions) without direct human oversight.
• Protect Student Privacy: Never input sensitive or personally identifiable information (PII), such as student grades or records, into AI tools unless IT has specifically approved that tool for such data.
• Institutional Accounts: Faculty and staff may use non‑institutionally provided AI tools for work‑related purposes as long as no institutionally protected data is entered. Protected data includes personally identifiable information (PII), student records covered by FERPA, employee data, and other confidential College information. Tasks involving protected data must use institutionally approved AI tools.

Teaching and Research Responsibilities

• Set Clear Expectations: Faculty are responsible for communicating clear guidelines to students regarding how and when AI may be used in their courses.
• Verify Everything: AI is prone to "hallucinations" or fabricated facts. You are responsible for the accuracy of any AI-generated output used in your professional work.
• Disclose Usage: Ensure AI use is disclosed in academic, administrative, or research outputs as required by policy.
• Research and Grants: Consult with IT early in the planning stages for any grant-funded projects or research initiatives involving AI.

Safety and Compliance

• "No-Fault" Reporting: If you accidentally upload restricted data (like Social Security numbers or grades) into a public tool, report it to the IT Help Desk immediately.
• Priority on Data: Our priority is risk containment; a quick report enables the Security Team to work with vendors to delete "spilled" data.

What to Do If You Make a Mistake?

We maintain a "no-fault" reporting culture for accidental data exposure. If you accidentally upload restricted data (like student records) or notice an AI tool behaving unexpectedly, report it to the IT Help Desk immediately.

Why report? Your quick action allows the IT team to contain the risk and protect the community’s data.