Teaching & Learning
- Use of AI in coursework is governed at the course level
- EKU states that syllabus statements on AI should clearly define whether AI is prohibited, allowed with attribution, allowed for limited parts of an assignment, or freely allowed for specific tasks, and faculty are told to state the extent to which use of AI counts as unauthorized assistance
Should clearly define AI restrictions/permissions for the course, e.g. AI use prohibited, use with attribution/citation okay, use for brainstorming/outlining/grammar okay but not text generation, unrestricted use okay with note student remains accountable
Expectations around the use of artificial intelligence or machine learning resources should be detailed in the instructor's course syllabus. Instructors should clearly state the extent to which the use of AI tools is authorized or unauthorized assistance and define what activities are considered to be “original work” by the student for the specific assignments in the class.
Permissive: Artificial intelligence (AI) language and image generation can be a valuable tool for supporting student learning in my course. Use of these tools is allowed in this class, but students should be aware that in all cases they are expected to uphold the rules of academic integrity by clearly attributing any ideas, words, images, or other creative output generated by AI. You are accountable for any inaccuracies, biases, or other problems in generated output.
Discouraging: Artificial intelligence (AI) language and image generation can be an effective tool for supporting your learning in this class. In this class, however, all writing and related assignments should be your own work and not generated by an AI tool. If you use an AI tool for support—editing text you have already written, generating examples, answering questions, or similar—you must indicate what AI tool was used and how. You are responsible for all work submitted in this course regardless of the role of an AI tool in its production.
Restrictive: Artificial intelligence (AI) language and image generation can be a useful tool in many settings. In this class, however, using these tools for any graded work is not permitted unless specifically noted otherwise. If use of these tools is permitted, you should indicate where and how they were used and cite them when appropriate. You are solely responsible for all work submitted in this course.
- EKU allows faculty to permit AI as a learning support tool, but this depends on course rules stated in the syllabus
- The university's model syllabus language says AI may be used for support such as brainstorming, outlining, editing, generating examples, and answering questions, while students remain responsible for submitted work and may need to disclose how AI was used
Should clearly define AI restrictions/permissions for the course, e.g. AI use prohibited, use with attribution/citation okay, use for brainstorming/outlining/grammar okay but not text generation, unrestricted use okay with note student remains accountable
Discouraging: Artificial intelligence (AI) language and image generation can be an effective tool for supporting your learning in this class. In this class, however, all writing and related assignments should be your own work and not generated by an AI tool. If you use an AI tool for support—editing text you have already written, generating examples, answering questions, or similar—you must indicate what AI tool was used and how. You are responsible for all work submitted in this course regardless of the role of an AI tool in its production.
Permissive: Artificial intelligence (AI) language and image generation can be a valuable tool for supporting student learning in my course.
Research
- For theses and dissertations, EKU does not ban AI but requires any use of AI in the writing process to be disclosed, with details on where and how it was used
- The guidance also places full responsibility on the student for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of the work and requires checking whether journals or publishers impose additional AI restrictions
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools may be useful in your writing process, but use of them should be acknowledged and explained in your front matter.
If your thesis/dissertation used AI in your writing process in any way, include a brief statement in your acknowledgements page to explain where and how it was used. You may use or revise the following statement:
I acknowledge the use of [AI system(s) and link] to [specific use of generative artificial intelligence]. The author assumes full responsibility for the final content, including the accuracy and integrity of the generated material.
As the student, you are responsible for all writing generated or informed by AI. Verify all information independently and consult your committee members regarding acceptable use in your discipline and whether the journal/publisher in question has any restrictions on AI use by authors.
- Researchers must identify the platforms used and explain how privacy and confidentiality risks will be addressed when handling sensitive data or identifiers
- EKU's Institutional Review Board requires researchers to disclose if AI will be used in research procedures such as transcription, sentiment analysis, survey coding, or automated interview analysis
Will AI be used in the research procedures (e.g., AI-assisted transcription, sentiment analysis, survey response coding, automated interview analysis, etc.)? If yes, identify the platform(s) / software and explain how AI will be used. Please note that publicly available AI tools cannot guarantee privacy or confidentiality. Therefore, if researchers wish to use AI tools with direct or indirect identifiers or with potentially sensitive data, a clear explanation of how privacy/confidentiality risks will be addressed is required.
- For thesis and dissertation work, students are responsible for AI-assisted writing and must verify information independently
- EKU requires researchers to consider AI use in sponsored projects under sponsor rules and warns that some funders prohibit AI in proposal writing
- The IRB requires disclosure when AI will be used in research, including naming the tools, describing how they will be used, and explaining how privacy and confidentiality risks will be addressed
Use of AI may be considered by some federal sponsors to be an issue of research misconduct. Review the solicitation and sponsor guidance carefully before using AI. Some sponsors, such as the National Science Foundation, prohibit the use of AI in proposal writing.
Will AI be used in the research procedures (e.g., AI-assisted transcription, sentiment analysis, survey response coding, automated interview analysis, etc.)? If yes, identify the platform(s) / software and explain how AI will be used. Please note that publicly available AI tools cannot guarantee privacy or confidentiality. Therefore, if researchers wish to use AI tools with direct or indirect identifiers or with potentially sensitive data, a clear explanation of how privacy/confidentiality risks will be addressed is required.
As the student, you are responsible for all writing generated or informed by AI. Verify all information independently and consult your committee members regarding acceptable use in your discipline and whether the journal/publisher in question has any restrictions on AI use by authors.
Academic Integrity
- EKU requires or recommends disclosure of AI use when course or thesis policies call for it
- Faculty syllabus models require students to indicate what AI tool was used and how, and to attribute AI-generated ideas, words, images, or other output; thesis and dissertation guidance requires an acknowledgment statement naming the AI system and its specific use
all cases they are expected to uphold the rules of academic integrity by clearly attributing any ideas, words, images, or other creative output generated by AI.
If you use an AI tool for support—editing text you have already written, generating examples, answering questions, or similar—you must indicate what AI tool was used and how.
If use of these tools is permitted, you should indicate where and how they were used and cite them when appropriate.
If your thesis/dissertation used AI in your writing process in any way, include a brief statement in your acknowledgements page to explain where and how it was used. You may use or revise the following statement:
I acknowledge the use of [AI system(s) and link] to [specific use of generative artificial intelligence]. The author assumes full responsibility for the final content, including the accuracy and integrity of the generated material.
- EKU treats unauthorized AI use as a possible academic integrity issue and tells instructors to define in the syllabus when AI use is authorized or unauthorized assistance
- The academic integrity process allows instructors to assign sanctions for cheating, plagiarism, or other forms of academic dishonesty, but the provided sources do not set out a university-wide AI detection-tool policy
Expectations around the use of artificial intelligence or machine learning resources should be detailed in the instructor's course syllabus. Instructors should clearly state the extent to which the use of AI tools is authorized or unauthorized assistance and define what activities are considered to be “original work” by the student for the specific assignments in the class.
Academic integrity is a fundamental value for the Eastern Kentucky University community of students, faculty, and staff. It should be clearly understood that acts of cheating, plagiarism, or other forms of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and that anyone committing such acts risks punishment of a serious nature.
A student who is suspected of an act of academic dishonesty may be charged with a violation by the responsible faculty member and/or University official. The responsible faculty member will notify the student in writing of the allegation, describe the sanction the faculty member is imposing for the alleged violation, and complete the Academic Integrity Faculty Reporting Form.
Institutional & Administrative
- EKU permits workplace AI use by employees to improve productivity, efficiency, creativity, and decision-making, but only in line with policy limits
- Faculty are also told they are responsible for all course content they create with AI and should review and revise it for accuracy, bias, and accessibility
- The university prohibits faculty and staff from using AI as the sole basis for high-stakes decisions such as admissions, performance evaluations, contract renewal, promotion, tenure, discipline, academic standing, and grading; meaningful human review is required before any such decision
The purpose of this policy is to allow workforce members to use AI to improve productivity, efficiency, creativity, and decision making while establishing parameters for the acceptable use and procurement of AI solutions at EKU.
Artificial intelligence may not be used as the sole means to make high stakes decisions such as student admissions, student performance evaluations, contract renewal, employee performance evaluations, promotion, tenure, faculty or staff discipline, faculty or staff grievance, student discipline, student academic standing, or student grading. Meaningful human review of all such decisions is required before any final action is taken.
You are responsible for all content and materials you provide to students or put in your course regardless of the role of an AI tool in creating them. Carefully review generated content before sharing and revise or adapt for your context as needed. Fact check generated text and references and be particularly vigilant regarding bias and accessibility issues.
Faculty are strongly encouraged to include statements in course syllabi regarding what use of AI is or is not acceptable in their classes and how students should cite or disclose their use of AI.
- EKU restricts what university data may be entered into AI systems
- The workplace AI policy also bars inputting confidential, private, proprietary, protected, or regulated information into non-approved AI systems and requires privacy, cybersecurity, and records-management review before procuring AI tools
- Public data may be used with any AI service, internal data only with approved or licensed AI platforms, confidential data only with approved or licensed systems after a risk and regulatory assessment, and regulated data is prohibited unless use is specifically approved
Only share data with an AI service according to its approved use and appropriate data tier. See: Classification and Protection of Data.
Public/Low Risk. Public data can be used with any AI service. Includes publicly available materials approved for release. Risks minimal if disclosed.
Internal/Moderate Risk. Internal data can only be used with approved/licensed AI services. Includes routine university records and communications not intended for public release.
Confidential/High Risk. Confidential data can only be used with approved/licensed AI services. AI solutions involving confidential data generally require a risk assessment. Includes FERPA records, HR files, financial records, and unpublished research.
Regulated/Restricted. Regulated or restricted data cannot be used with AI services unless specifically approved for use. Includes data protected by law or contract (e.g., HIPAA, export-controlled, PCI).
Workforce members are prohibited from entering confidential, private, proprietary, protected, or regulated data and information into any system that uses AI except as approved in this Policy and all other applicable University policies and procedures.
No AI system may be utilized or implemented without first considering the privacy rights of all individuals and the need to comply with applicable law and University policies and procedures with respect to information security and records retention requirements.
Procurement of AI solutions must be coordinated with EKU Procurement and involve a privacy and security review by Information Security and Enterprise Risk Management and a records review by Information and Records Management.
- EKU has an institutional AI governance structure and articulated principles for AI use
- The Office of AI Solutions and Innovation leads AI literacy and adoption support, and the workplace AI policy assigns oversight and implementation responsibilities across multiple administrative units while framing AI use around legal compliance, risk management, transparency, and human accountability
Office of AI Solutions and Innovation
The Office of AI Solutions and Innovation (OAISIS) is dedicated to integrating artificial intelligence in transformative and ethical ways across Eastern Kentucky University. Through AI literacy, innovation support, and strategic implementation, OAISIS empowers faculty, staff, and students to enhance learning, research, and operations.
This policy addresses the use and procurement of AI in the workplace at the University and is intended to identify certain rights and responsibilities of workforce members with respect to the use of AI and to establish standards and procedures intended to ensure lawful, compliant, secure, and trustworthy use of AI while preserving and balancing the rights, interests, and values of all members of the University community.
This Policy is to be implemented and maintained by a coordinated effort involving, at a minimum, University Counsel, the office of IT, Information Security and Enterprise Risk Management, Procurement, Human Resources, Internal Audit and Compliance, and Information and Records Management under the supervision of the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Chief Information Officer, and the Chief Strategy Officer.
The University reserves the right to establish additional standards, procedures, and guidelines governing the use and procurement of AI in the workplace and to amend, supplement, and rescind this Policy and any standards, procedures, and guidelines from time to time as the University deems appropriate.
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 Eastern Kentucky University's AI Policies
Eastern Kentucky University has defined AI policies in 10 of 12 categories, with an overall coverage score of 83%.
EKU requires or recommends disclosure of AI use when course or thesis policies call for it. Faculty syllabus models require students to indicate what AI tool was used and how, and to attribute AI-generated ideas, words, images, or other output; thesis and dissertation guidance requires an acknowledgment statement naming the AI system and its specific use.
EKU treats unauthorized AI use as a possible academic integrity issue and tells instructors to define in the syllabus when AI use is authorized or unauthorized assistance. The academic integrity process allows instructors to assign sanctions for cheating, plagiarism, or other forms of academic dishonesty, but the provided sources do not set out a university-wide AI detection-tool policy.
EKU restricts what university data may be entered into AI systems. Public data may be used with any AI service, internal data only with approved or licensed AI platforms, confidential data only with approved or licensed systems after a risk and regulatory assessment, and regulated data is prohibited unless use is specifically approved. The workplace AI policy also bars inputting confidential, private, proprietary, protected, or regulated information into non-approved AI systems and requires privacy, cybersecurity, and records-management review before procuring AI tools.