Teaching & Learning
- Use of generative AI for coursework is at instructor discretion
- Students may use AI only in ways allowed by the faculty member or course syllabus, and AI must not replace original thought or authorship
Students should only make use of generative AI in ways that are allowed by the faculty teaching the course.
• Use of Artificial Intelligence in any way that violates course guidelines as clearly stated in the class syllabus
• Uphold Academic Integrity: GenAI should enhance—not replace—original thought, authorship, and scholarly contribution.
- The college also states that students must receive no unauthorized help on assignments and assessments
- AI use in exams and assessments is governed by course-specific rules, and using AI in ways that violate syllabus guidelines is an Honor Code violation
All CC students abide by the Honor Code which requires that they receive no unauthorized help on assignments and assessments.
• Use of Artificial Intelligence in any way that violates course guidelines as clearly stated in the class syllabus
• Working with another student on a take-home examination in which collaboration is not permitted
- AI use for study support is generally encouraged when no sensitive data is involved
- The guidelines list study aids and brainstorming as low-risk uses, but users must review outputs with human judgment, and Writing Center support follows professor rules and emphasizes learning rather than convenience
Generally Appropriate Uses (Low Risk)
Encouraged when no sensitive data is involved.
Examples include:
• Brainstorming
• Creating outlines or study aids
AI may assist; humans remain accountable. All members of the Colorado College community are expected to:
• Apply Human Judgment: AI-generated outputs must be reviewed for accuracy, bias, hallucinations, and appropriateness before use. Do not rely solely on GenAI for consequential decisions.
When AI use is encouraged or required, the Writing Center will teach students how to use Gen-AI in ways that support learning
we will help students with what kinds of questions to ask the Gen AI, and with assessing the AI outputs, all with a focus on learning and critical thinking, not with the purpose of getting a convenient output.
- Coding assistance is listed as a generally appropriate low-risk use when no sensitive data is involved
- However, for student coursework the actual permissibility still depends on faculty or course guidelines, and AI outputs must be reviewed by humans
Generally Appropriate Uses (Low Risk)
Encouraged when no sensitive data is involved.
Examples include:
• Coding assistance
Students should only make use of generative AI in ways that are allowed by the faculty teaching the course.
AI may assist; humans remain accountable. All members of the Colorado College community are expected to:
• Apply Human Judgment: AI-generated outputs must be reviewed for accuracy, bias, hallucinations, and appropriateness before use.
Research
- Faculty also retain discretion over how AI may be incorporated into scholarship
- The college allows AI to assist with research-related work, but requires transparency when AI materially contributes and states that AI should not replace authorship or scholarly contribution
• Promote Transparency: Disclose AI use when it materially contributes to academic work, research, institutional analysis, or official communications.
• Uphold Academic Integrity: GenAI should enhance—not replace—original thought, authorship, and scholarly contribution.
Faculty retain discretion in determining how GenAI may be incorporated into teaching and scholarship.
- AI may be used for research support and interpretation with oversight and validation, but researchers must be cautious with unpublished, proprietary, funded, or patentable work
- Confidential research and other restricted data may not be uploaded into public AI tools, and researchers must comply with sponsor terms and institutional policies before using AI
Use With Care (Professional Judgment Required)
Permitted with oversight and validation.
Examples include:
• Research support and interpretation
Do not upload confidential, regulated, or restricted data into public AI tools, including:
• Confidential research
Research & Sponsored Projects Considerations
Faculty and researchers should exercise particular caution when using GenAI tools in connection with:
• Unpublished research
• Grant-funded projects
• Sponsored research agreements
• Proprietary datasets
• Patentable discoveriesSome sponsors or grant agreements may restrict GenAI use or impose data handling requirements.
Researchers are responsible for ensuring compliance with sponsor terms and institutional research policies before using GenAI tools.
- Colorado College requires disclosure when AI materially contributes to research and affirms that AI should not replace original scholarly contribution
- Entering confidential research into public AI tools is prohibited, reflecting the institution's commitment to research integrity and responsible stewardship of scholarly work
- Researchers must exercise particular caution with unpublished work, grant-funded projects, sponsored agreements, proprietary datasets, and patentable discoveries, and must ensure compliance with sponsor terms and institutional research policies
• Promote Transparency: Disclose AI use when it materially contributes to academic work, research, institutional analysis, or official communications.
• Uphold Academic Integrity: GenAI should enhance—not replace—original thought, authorship, and scholarly contribution.
Do not upload confidential, regulated, or restricted data into public AI tools, including:
• Confidential research
Faculty and researchers should exercise particular caution when using GenAI tools in connection with:
• Unpublished research
• Grant-funded projects
• Sponsored research agreements
• Proprietary datasets
• Patentable discoveries
Researchers are responsible for ensuring compliance with sponsor terms and institutional research policies before using GenAI tools.
Academic Integrity
- The college requires disclosure when AI materially contributes to academic work, research, institutional analysis, or official communications
- Students must also acknowledge borrowed language or ideas using the citation form specified by the instructor and seek clarification if the preferred citation form is unclear
• Promote Transparency: Disclose AI use when it materially contributes to academic work, research, institutional analysis, or official communications.
Students pledge to attribute borrowed data, arguments, or language to their authors or creators in clear acknowledgements, following whichever form of citation the course instructor specifies. In cases in which the preferred citation form is unclear, students accept responsibility for seeking clarification of an instructor’s preference.
• Use of Artificial Intelligence to generate specific language that is then portrayed as a student’s own work
- AI-related misuse is enforced through the Honor Code
- The Honor Council states it may use any available resources to assess plagiarism, and unauthorized AI use or AI use that violates course guidelines is treated as an Honor Code violation
The Council may use any and all available resources to determine the degree of plagiarism on any given assignment.
Examples of violations include, but are not limited to:
• Making use of unauthorized assistance, materials, or study aids
• Use of Artificial Intelligence to generate specific language that is then portrayed as a student’s own work
• Use of Artificial Intelligence in any way that violates course guidelines as clearly stated in the class syllabus
Institutional & Administrative
- The Writing Center also states that tutors will follow professor AI guidelines, and it asks professors to include syllabus statements on AI use or non-use
- Faculty retain discretion over how AI is incorporated into teaching and scholarship, and instructional content development, student-facing communications, and administrative workflow support are permitted within the guidelines
Faculty retain discretion in determining how GenAI may be incorporated into teaching and scholarship.
Examples include:
• Instructional content development• Student-facing communications
• Administrative workflow support
Writing Center tutors will follow a professor’s AI guidelines for a course
we are asking professors to include a syllabus statement regarding AI use or non-use that the tutors can refer to for guidance during a session.
- No specific approved platform list is defined in the provided sources
- Colorado College prohibits entering confidential, regulated, or restricted data into public AI tools and instructs users not to share sensitive, personal, or proprietary college information
- The guidelines identify specific protected categories such as FERPA records, HIPAA information, personnel files, financial data, personally identifiable information, confidential research, and legal or regulated materials
Do not upload confidential, regulated, or restricted data into public AI tools, including:
• Student education records (FERPA)
• Health information (HIPAA, where applicable)
• HR and personnel files
• Financial data
• Personally identifiable information
• Confidential research
• Legal, contractual, or regulated materials
Public GenAI tools may retain or train on submitted data. If you would not post it publicly, do not enter it into a public GenAI tool.
When using generative AI tools, it is vital to safeguard sensitive data. Please refrain from sharing confidential information, personal data, or any proprietary college information when interacting with AI systems.
- Its strategy emphasizes thoughtful exploration, responsible use, academic freedom, institutional safeguards, and future development of official policy and best-practice guidance
- Colorado College has an institutional AI philosophy and guidelines that together form a campus framework, and it describes a broader governance structure for reviewing and supporting AI use
CC's approach to GenAI is shaped by two complementary documents: a Generative AI Philosophy and a set of Generative AI Guidelines.
Together, they articulate a basic framework for our community and inform specific divisional Generative AI policies.
Colorado College’s Generative AI Philosophy establishes a values-driven foundation for how the institution will thoughtfully explore, evaluate, and integrate emerging AI capabilities.
These guidelines operate within the College’s broader GenAI governance structure, designed to
As a national model in higher education, we will establish both official policy and best practices guidelines that govern how, when, and why GenAI will and will not be used at CC, emerging from the contexts of liberal arts learning and critical inquiry, while aligning with CC’s commitments to sustainability and antiracism.
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 Colorado College's AI Policies
Colorado College has defined AI policies in 12 of 12 categories, with an overall coverage score of 100%.
The college requires disclosure when AI materially contributes to academic work, research, institutional analysis, or official communications. Students must also acknowledge borrowed language or ideas using the citation form specified by the instructor and seek clarification if the preferred citation form is unclear.
AI-related misuse is enforced through the Honor Code. The Honor Council states it may use any available resources to assess plagiarism, and unauthorized AI use or AI use that violates course guidelines is treated as an Honor Code violation.
Colorado College prohibits entering confidential, regulated, or restricted data into public AI tools and instructs users not to share sensitive, personal, or proprietary college information. The guidelines identify specific protected categories such as FERPA records, HIPAA information, personnel files, financial data, personally identifiable information, confidential research, and legal or regulated materials. No specific approved platform list is defined in the provided sources.