Teaching & Learning
- Faculty are encouraged to clarify acceptable and unacceptable uses in their syllabi and assignments
- Use of generative AI in graded coursework is at instructor discretion rather than governed by a single university-wide allowance
- The university states that unauthorized use of AI in assignments can be treated as academic misconduct when it misrepresents authorship or is used contrary to course expectations
When using AI in coursework at Canisius University, all students are expected to:
Use AI solely as directed or permitted by course instructors. Different instructors may have varying guidelines regarding the use of AI.
Students are expected to follow each instructor’s specific directions and policies on the use of AI in their courses.
A failure to follow an instructor’s directions and policies regarding the use of AI in their course can result in a violation of the university’s academic integrity policy.
The current Canisius academic integrity code applies to AI-related concerns. The current code forbids students from:
“Substituting or paraphrasing real or fictitious data and/or citation(s) in assignments or other official means of communication.”
“Misrepresenting themselves or their status in, or misrepresenting the source of information in, any way that gains, or could reasonably be expected to gain, an unfair advantage.”
“Deliberately taking or using the ideas, writings, or inventions of another person as one’s own without attribution.”
Gen AI that is not fully original or cited can violate one or all of these stipulations.
Provide clear and explicit guidelines in the assignment prompt and syllabus regarding what, if any, use of GenAI tools is permitted.
Explicitly state the consequences for inappropriate use of GenAI, referring to the academic integrity policy when necessary.
- Faculty guidance recommends designing assessments that clearly state whether AI use is permitted
- The university does not set a separate AI rule specifically for exams or quizzes in the sources provided
- Instead, AI use follows instructor directions and unauthorized use can become an academic integrity violation
Use AI solely as directed or permitted by course instructors. Different instructors may have varying guidelines regarding the use of AI.
Students are expected to follow each instructor’s specific directions and policies on the use of AI in their courses.
A failure to follow an instructor’s directions and policies regarding the use of AI in their course can result in a violation of the university’s academic integrity policy.
Provide clear and explicit guidelines in the assignment prompt and syllabus regarding what, if any, use of GenAI tools is permitted.
- Students are also warned to evaluate AI output critically because these tools may be inaccurate or biased
- The university permits educational use of AI for learning support when students use it responsibly and remain accountable for their own understanding
- University guidance lists studying, brainstorming, translation, and similar support functions as acceptable examples if they comply with instructor rules
As a student at Canisius University, using AI can improve your educational journey, as long as it’s done ethically and responsibly.
Acceptable uses of AI by students include:
Study aid and review
Practice and quizzes
Concept explanation
Brainstorming ideas
Checking comprehension
Accessibility support
Language translation
Research and information gathering
Code review and debugging
Simulation and role play
Editing and proofreading
Creative exploration
Design and multimedia production
Time management and organization
Critically evaluate AI outputs. AI-generated content can be inaccurate, incomplete, outdated or biased. Students should always critically assess and verify information provided by AI before incorporating it into their own work.
- No broader university-wide permission for AI to complete programming assignments is separately defined
- AI support for programming-related work is addressed as a permitted use case for learning support, but not through a separate coding-specific rule
- The sources expressly mention code review and debugging as acceptable student uses, subject to instructor direction and academic integrity requirements
Acceptable uses of AI by students include:
Study aid and review
Practice and quizzes
Concept explanation
Brainstorming ideas
Checking comprehension
Accessibility support
Language translation
Research and information gathering
Code review and debugging
Simulation and role play
Editing and proofreading
Creative exploration
Design and multimedia production
Time management and organization
Use AI solely as directed or permitted by course instructors. Different instructors may have varying guidelines regarding the use of AI.
Students are expected to follow each instructor’s specific directions and policies on the use of AI in their courses.
Research
Academic Integrity
- The university requires transparency when AI contributes to student work
- Students must acknowledge AI use according to course requirements and remain responsible for proper citation and attribution
- The university also warns that using AI-generated material without full originality or citation can violate the academic integrity code
When using AI in coursework at Canisius University, all students are expected to:
Acknowledge AI use in your work when required by your instructor. Depending on the course, assignment or specific use of AI, this may involve citing the AI source, including a note in an assignment, or completing additional attribution steps.
Use AI solely as directed or permitted by course instructors. Different instructors may have varying guidelines regarding the use of AI.
Be aware that it remains your responsibility to ensure your work is honest, properly cited and in line with academic integrity expectations.
The current Canisius academic integrity code applies to AI-related concerns. The current code forbids students from:
“Deliberately taking or using the ideas, writings, or inventions of another person as one’s own without attribution.”
Gen AI that is not fully original or cited can violate one or all of these stipulations.
- The provided sources do not set out a university stance on AI detection tools
- Canisius applies its existing academic integrity enforcement framework to AI-related misconduct
- Unauthorized AI use may be reported as a violation and is subject to the university's standard processes and sanctions, including failing grades, suspension, or expulsion depending on severity and repetition
A failure to follow an instructor’s directions and policies regarding the use of AI in their course can result in a violation of the university’s academic integrity policy.
The current Canisius academic integrity code applies to AI-related concerns.
Infractions are considered serious and sanctions invoked against the student may include failure in the assignment, failure in the course, suspension or dismissal from a program, suspension or expulsion from the university, or other sanctions deemed appropriate by the university.
Institutional & Administrative
- No staff-wide administrative AI policy is explicitly defined in the provided materials
- Faculty use of AI is encouraged as a pedagogical and productivity support, but the sources frame this as guidance rather than a binding institutional policy
- Faculty are advised to experiment with AI for course design, materials, quizzes, examples, and administrative efficiency, while also setting clear course rules for student use
One of our goals with this website is to provide examples and strategies for faculty to consider implementing in their own work. In no way are these suggestions exhaustive or mandatory but instead are intended to simply serve as a jumping off point for instructors to begin considering the potential and pitfalls AI present in teaching and learning.
Many instructors are finding value in using GenAI in various aspects of their teaching. Here are some examples:
Developing lesson plans
Creating quizzes and practice exercises
Generating examples or sample essays
Providing formative feedback (with faculty oversight)
Drafting rubrics
Simplifying complex concepts for students
Adapting materials for accessibility and language support
Generating case studies or scenarios for discussion
Creating discussion prompts or class activities
Analyzing classroom data or survey responses
Streamlining administrative tasks such as emails and scheduling
Provide clear and explicit guidelines in the assignment prompt and syllabus regarding what, if any, use of GenAI tools is permitted.
- The provided sources do not identify approved vendors or a formal data classification framework
- The university cautions users not to enter sensitive, personal, or confidential information into AI tools
- This is presented as a privacy and security warning rather than a list of approved institutional platforms
Protect your privacy and others’ privacy. Avoid entering sensitive, personal or confidential information into AI tools.
It is important to remember that AI systems process data in ways that may not always be transparent, and the information shared can pose privacy or security risks if mishandled.
- The materials describe a Generative AI site, a summer institute, and university events intended to shape practice and discussion
- This reflects organized institutional engagement with AI, but no formal governing charter or university-wide AI strategy document is explicitly stated in the sources provided
- Canisius has an institutional AI initiative centered on guidance, campus conversation, and ongoing faculty development rather than a formal enterprise AI policy framework in the provided sources
This website is designed to help students, faculty and staff navigate the opportunities and challenges of using generative AI tools in teaching, learning and university work.
The university’s annual summer faculty development institute focused on AI and Pedagogy.
To continue the conversation, and in response to requests from many members of our campus community, Canisius University will host three panel discussions in the coming academic year that will bring our expert faculty panelists to bear on some of the educational, social, and philosophical issues raised by AI.
The university’s Office of Academic Affairs, and the AI and Pedagogy Faculty Fellows, are hosting a panel discussion at noon on Thursday, Sept. 12 in the Grupp Fireside Lounge. Called “Between AI and Academics,” the event will pose a range of questions to the panel and audience alike around what AI means to us as educators and learners.
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 Canisius College's AI Policies
Canisius College has defined AI policies in 9 of 12 categories, with an overall coverage score of 75%.
The university requires transparency when AI contributes to student work. Students must acknowledge AI use according to course requirements and remain responsible for proper citation and attribution. The university also warns that using AI-generated material without full originality or citation can violate the academic integrity code.
Canisius applies its existing academic integrity enforcement framework to AI-related misconduct. Unauthorized AI use may be reported as a violation and is subject to the university's standard processes and sanctions, including failing grades, suspension, or expulsion depending on severity and repetition. The provided sources do not set out a university stance on AI detection tools.
The university cautions users not to enter sensitive, personal, or confidential information into AI tools. This is presented as a privacy and security warning rather than a list of approved institutional platforms. The provided sources do not identify approved vendors or a formal data classification framework.