Teaching & Learning
- For university coursework, students may not submit AI-generated text unless the instructor has explicitly permitted it in writing
- Augusta University also allows instructors to define additional course-specific academic dishonesty rules in the syllabus or other written instructions
- In the Medical College of Georgia, AI use in learning settings is governed by syllabus- or faculty-defined expectations, and where no specific expectation is stated, the default is documented/disclosed use
It also includes presenting content generated by artificial intelligence as one’s own. Students should not submit texts generated in part or full by artificial intelligence unless the instructor has granted explicit permission to do so (e.g. in the syllabus or on the assignment prompt).
Other acts of academic dishonesty may be defined by the instructor in their course syllabus or other written instructions (e.g., assignment sheet, exam directions).
The instructor must clarify in writing (for example, in the course syllabus) any situation peculiar to the course that may differ from the generally stated policy.
Through the course syllabus and/or direct communication, course directors, module directors and/or teaching faculty will provide learners with clear expectations for how GenAI may or may not be used in each learning setting. If expectations are not specifically stated, students should seek guidance from faculty. In the absence of this guidance, GenAI use for the course falls into the Documented/Disclosed category described below.
• Documented/Disclosed: GenAI use is allowed, but all usage must be documented and/or disclosed (e.g., background sections of assignments; responses to questions in small group or rounds).
• Restricted: GenAI use is limited to specific resources or tasks with required documentation or disclosure (e.g., journal club assignments).
• Disallowed: No GenAI use is permitted (e.g., summative assessment).
- Exam and assessment use is generally prohibited unless an instructor gives permission
- The university academic honesty policy treats unauthorized assistance on examinations as misconduct, and the Medical College of Georgia expressly classifies some uses as disallowed for summative assessment
a student conspires to violate academic honesty by engaging with any persons, platforms, or companies that provide unauthorized assistance, written or oral, in the preparation or completion of any activity, assignment, or examination without permission from the instructor.
• Disallowed: No GenAI use is permitted (e.g., summative assessment).
- Augusta University states that AI can be used to support learning and study preparation, but as a supplement rather than a replacement for traditional learning
- In the Medical College of Georgia, faculty set the boundaries for each learning setting, and absent other guidance the default category is documented/disclosed use
GenAI has the potential to deepen a learner’s understanding of medical concepts, assist in study preparations, and provide simulated clinical experiences. GenAI can be used as a resource supplement to complement, not replace, traditional learning methods and interactions with faculty and peers.
Through the course syllabus and/or direct communication, course directors, module directors and/or teaching faculty will provide learners with clear expectations for how GenAI may or may not be used in each learning setting. If expectations are not specifically stated, students should seek guidance from faculty. In the absence of this guidance, GenAI use for the course falls into the Documented/Disclosed category described below.
- There is no university-wide student programming-assignment rule specific to AI code generation in the provided sources
- For medical students, AI-generated code is covered by faculty-defined learning-setting rules, and for research contexts Augusta University permits code assistance only for approved data workflows
• Generative AI (GenAI): GenAI tools are a subset of AI designed to create new content, such as text, images, music, video, or code, by analyzing input data and identifying patterns.
Through the course syllabus and/or direct communication, course directors, module directors and/or teaching faculty will provide learners with clear expectations for how GenAI may or may not be used in each learning setting.
Assisting with code generation for data processing or performing analysis on approved, de-identified datasets.
Research
- The Medical College of Georgia requires any research use of GenAI to be discussed with the principal investigator and to comply with oversight or publication-agency guidance
- For research writing, Augusta University allows AI for manuscript language editing and for non-confidential sections of grant writing, provided researchers follow disclosure rules from their discipline or journal
### Writing & Grants
Editing manuscripts for language improvement and supporting grant writing for non-confidential sections.tex
* Authorship and Attribution: Always follow the specific requirements of your discipline or target journal regarding the disclosure of AI assistance in your manuscripts.
Any use of GenAI in the course of research must be discussed with the principal investigator and adhere to the guidelines of any oversight or publication agency.
- The Medical College of Georgia separately requires research AI use to be discussed with the principal investigator
- Augusta University permits AI for research data analysis and code-assisted processing only when approved datasets and privacy rules are followed
- Researchers must not enter unpublished or proprietary research data into public or unapproved tools, IRB approval is required before using AI on human-subject data, HIPAA-covered work must use specially approved tools, and AI use affecting methods or results must be documented
While AI offers powerful capabilities for data synthesis and analysis, researchers at Augusta University must exercise extreme caution when handling unpublished, proprietary, or regulated data.
* Protect Unpublished Findings: You must never enter unpublished research data or proprietary findings into unapproved or public AI tools.
* Human Subjects and IRB Approval: Any research involving human subjects requires formal IRB approval before AI can be used to process or analyze participant data.
* PHI and HIPAA Compliance: If your work involves Protected Health Information, you are restricted to using only specially approved, HIPAA-compliant AI tools.
* Maintain Reproducibility: To ensure the scientific integrity of your work, you must document your AI use—including specific prompts and model versions—whenever AI influences your methods or results.
When using approved datasets and following university privacy guidelines, researchers can utilize AI for several high-value tasks:
Assisting with code generation for data processing or performing analysis on approved, de-identified datasets.
Any use of GenAI in the course of research must be discussed with the principal investigator and adhere to the guidelines of any oversight or publication agency.
- Research AI use is subject to research-integrity, sponsor, IRB, privacy, and publication requirements
- The Medical College of Georgia requires prior discussion with the principal investigator and compliance with oversight or publication agencies
- Augusta University requires compliance with sponsor restrictions, IRB approval for human-subject data processing, documentation for reproducibility, and journal or disciplinary attribution rules
Because the integrity of your findings and the security of your intellectual property are paramount, all AI use in a research context must align with university-approved protocols and external sponsor requirements.
* Review Grant and Sponsor Agreements: Specific contracts may have clauses that strictly restrict data sharing, AI usage, or the disclosure of intellectual property.
* Human Subjects and IRB Approval: Any research involving human subjects requires formal IRB approval before AI can be used to process or analyze participant data.
* Maintain Reproducibility: To ensure the scientific integrity of your work, you must document your AI use—including specific prompts and model versions—whenever AI influences your methods or results.
* Authorship and Attribution: Always follow the specific requirements of your discipline or target journal regarding the disclosure of AI assistance in your manuscripts.
Any use of GenAI in the course of research must be discussed with the principal investigator and adhere to the guidelines of any oversight or publication agency.
Academic Integrity
- Augusta University requires transparency about AI use when instructors, publishers, or context-specific rules require it
- The university academic honesty policy says students must explicitly acknowledge indebtedness to another source, while the Medical College of Georgia uses disclosure/documentation categories and defaults to documented/disclosed use when no other course guidance is given
* Be Transparent: Disclose your use of AI whenever required by instructors or publishers.
Once you have generated your output, review it carefully for any potential bias or unfair assumptions. Be transparent by disclosing your use of AI as required by university policy or the specific context of your work. Ultimately, you remain responsible and accountable for all final outputs and decisions, regardless of how much AI assistance you received.
It is always assumed that all work produced or submitted in an academic context is the student’s own and reflects original labor performed to satisfy the expectations assigned in that context, except when the student explicitly acknowledges indebtedness to another source.
• Documented/Disclosed: GenAI use is allowed, but all usage must be documented and/or disclosed (e.g., background sections of assignments; responses to questions in small group or rounds).
• Restricted: GenAI use is limited to specific resources or tasks with required documentation or disclosure (e.g., journal club assignments).
- The provided sources do not state a university position on AI detection tools
- They do state that misuse of AI may constitute academic dishonesty or professionalism violations, that misconduct allegations follow university academic honesty procedures, and that MCG violations may be reported and can lead to disciplinary referral
Misuse of GenAI may be considered academic dishonesty and/or a professionalism violation.
Students, faculty, and other stakeholders are expected to report policy violations to academic leadership for review. Violations may result in disciplinary action including referral to the Promotions Committee or Honor Council.
The following procedures apply whenever accusations of academic misconduct are made by a student, instructor, administrator, or university employee.
When a violation of Academic Honesty occurs, the instructor should do the following:
Institutional & Administrative
- Augusta University permits faculty and staff to use AI within institutional safeguards
- University guidance also states that users must review AI outputs and remain accountable for final work and decisions
- Faculty are encouraged to design assignments and teach AI literacy, while staff and faculty in meetings must announce AI transcription or recording, protect sensitive information, and watch for unauthorized bots
### Faculty & Staff
* Verify All AI Outputs: AI can "hallucinate" or create fabricated information; always review results before use.
* You Remain Responsible: You are ultimately accountable for any work products or decisions produced with AI assistance.
* Design AI-Resistant Assessments: Consider developing assignments that emphasize the creative process, personal reflection, or direct application of knowledge, which are more difficult for AI to replicate effectively.
* Teach AI Literacy: Help students navigate the evolving landscape by discussing both the capabilities and the significant limitations—such as inaccuracy and bias—of current AI tools.
For staff and faculty hosting or participating in university meetings, maintaining data privacy is a primary responsibility. To protect sensitive discussions, please adhere to the following protocols:
* Transparency in Recording: Always announce at the start of a meeting if AI transcription or recording features are active.
* Protect Sensitive Data: Disable AI transcription or recording features immediately if the conversation shifts toward sensitive, confidential, or personal information.
* Monitor for Unauthorized Bots: Be vigilant for unauthorized third-party transcription bots and report them to the meeting host and IT immediately.
- The university also requires protection of confidential information and reporting of incidents involving accidental disclosure
- Augusta University requires users to classify university data before using AI and to use AU-reviewed services for any non-public data
- Public consumer AI tools may be used only with public/unrestricted information; sensitive, confidential, and personal data may not be entered into unapproved public tools, and third-party plugins require review or are prohibited depending on data type
* Protect University Data: Always classify your data before entering it into any system.
* Prefer Approved Services: Use tools reviewed by AU IT for any non-public data.
* Public AI Tools (Unapproved): These are consumer-facing services like the free versions of ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini. Because data protections may be unclear or subject to change, these may only be used with public, unrestricted information.
* University-Approved AI Services: These tools, including Microsoft Copilot and Box, have been reviewed by AU IT and include strict security safeguards and data handling commitments.
* Third-Party Add-ons and Plugins: These include browser extensions and meeting transcription bots. These represent the highest risk for data leakage and require a separate IT review before use.
Data Type Public AI Tool (Unapproved) AU-Approved Service Third-Party Plugin/Add-on
Public / Unrestricted Allowed Allowed Use Caution
Sensitive Do Not Enter Only if approved for type Do not use unless reviewed
Confidential Do Not Enter Only if approved for type Do Not Use
Personal (PII) Do Not Enter Only if approved for type Do Not Use
Our employees, students, volunteers and authorized others may access such confidential information to the extent necessary to perform their duties within our university and our health system. As an individual with access to confidential information at any of our institutions, you are required to protect against unauthorized access and disclosure, to ensure the privacy and security of records, and to report any suspected or known threats or violations related to this confidential information.
Early reporting is critical to minimizing harm if sensitive data is accidentally shared. If you realize you have entered confidential or restricted information into an unapproved tool, follow these steps:
- The Medical College of Georgia also maintains a separate reviewed policy for medical students
- The AI website says the guidelines are intended for the entire university community, while the formal Artificial Intelligence Policy was approved in August 2025
- Augusta University has institution-wide AI guidance framed around responsible adoption, data protection, transparency, human review, approved services, and user accountability
Artificial intelligence is transforming how we learn, teach, and research. At Augusta University, we are committed to leveraging these powerful tools responsibly to expand the boundaries of higher education.
Augusta University is dedicated to embracing these advancements with a focus on responsibility—fostering innovation while strictly safeguarding university data and upholding the highest standards of academic integrity.
These institutional guidelines serve as a framework for our entire community, ensuring that students, faculty, and staff can explore the potential of AI within a secure and ethical environment.
Our core approach is built on five fundamental principles that ensure AI use aligns with our values of academic excellence and ethical conduct:
APPROVED BY:
Augusta University Policy Library 16
Artificial Intelligence Policy
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Augusta University
Date: 8/1/2025
President, Augusta University
Date: 8/7/2025
This policy guides the appropriate use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) by medical students during all phase of their training.
Note: This policy is scheduled for review every six months.
DocuMark: Responsible AI Use for Academic Integrity
Knowing your institution's AI policy is step one. DocuMark helps enforce it fairly by empowering universities to manage AI-generated content, prevent cheating, and support student writing through responsible AI use.
Common Questions About Augusta University's AI Policies
Augusta University has defined AI policies in 12 of 12 categories, with an overall coverage score of 100%.
Augusta University requires transparency about AI use when instructors, publishers, or context-specific rules require it. The university academic honesty policy says students must explicitly acknowledge indebtedness to another source, while the Medical College of Georgia uses disclosure/documentation categories and defaults to documented/disclosed use when no other course guidance is given.
The provided sources do not state a university position on AI detection tools. They do state that misuse of AI may constitute academic dishonesty or professionalism violations, that misconduct allegations follow university academic honesty procedures, and that MCG violations may be reported and can lead to disciplinary referral.
Augusta University requires users to classify university data before using AI and to use AU-reviewed services for any non-public data. Public consumer AI tools may be used only with public/unrestricted information; sensitive, confidential, and personal data may not be entered into unapproved public tools, and third-party plugins require review or are prohibited depending on data type. The university also requires protection of confidential information and reporting of incidents involving accidental disclosure.