Teaching & Learning
- Kenyon College does not set a single college-wide rule that uniformly permits or prohibits AI use in coursework
- Instead, instructors are expected to state their policy in the syllabus, and unauthorized use of AI on assignments can be treated as plagiarism or cheating when a student submits work generated by another source as their own
Faculty should indicate in syllabi any expectations and policies that may be specific to the course.
Here are some examples of policy language around the use of AI in your classroom:
No use of AI permitted. Generative AI tools may not be used in this course except in ways explicitly outlined by the instructor.
Some use of AI permitted. The use of generative AI tools is permitted in this course only in ways specified by the instructor, and all use must be appropriately acknowledged and documented.
Free use of AI permitted. In this course, students are permitted to use generative AI tools except where specifically prohibited by the instructor.
Plagiarism, especially when done deliberately, is a form of cheating, but cheating also includes other forms of student misconduct such as unauthorized possession or use of examinations, fabricating data, forgery, and assisting others to cheat.
Another kind of plagiarism consists in appropriating or imitating another person’s ideas, manner of expressing them, or sequence of ideas, and passing them off as one’s own. This kind of plagiarism includes receiving unauthorized assistance from another person in doing one’s work.
- Kenyon College does not publish a standalone AI rule for examinations
- Instructors are expected to specify AI expectations for assessments in their syllabus
- Unauthorized AI use during assessments is governed by the general academic integrity policy, which classifies unauthorized possession or use of examinations and unauthorized assistance as forms of cheating
Plagiarism, especially when done deliberately, is a form of cheating, but cheating also includes other forms of student misconduct such as unauthorized possession or use of examinations, fabricating data, forgery, and assisting others to cheat.
Faculty should indicate in syllabi any expectations and policies that may be specific to the course.
- At the same time, whether students may use AI in a given course is left to instructor policy, which should be stated in the syllabus
- Kenyon’s guidance describes AI as a tool that can support students’ learning processes, including idea development, summarizing, and refining writing
AI may be used to support students’ cognitive and metacognitive learning processes as well as their disciplinary inquiry. AI tools can assist students in, among other things, brainstorming, clarifying concepts and making connections among concepts, summarizing and synthesizing sources and notes, and drafting and refining writing.
Faculty should indicate in syllabi any expectations and policies that may be specific to the course.
Free use of AI permitted. In this course, students are permitted to use generative AI tools except where specifically prohibited by the instructor.
- Kenyon does not publish a college-wide AI coding rule in the cited sources
- Departmental or instructor-level restrictions may apply; for example, the Mathematics and Statistics department bars AI software in writing or editing major assessments and requires students to follow the course instructor’s rules elsewhere
In line with the College’s Academic Honesty policy, no software built to use artificial intelligence may be used to write or edit the proposal, review, or reflection. Students may use spelling and grammar software, but beyond that they should complete these assessments entirely on their own.
Students should additionally consult their instructor’s policy on the use of software built to use artificial intelligence in class generally.
Research
- Based on the sources cited, Kenyon does not publish a specific policy on AI use in research writing or manuscript preparation
- However, the Faculty Handbook academic integrity provisions and the Responsible Conduct of Research policy are additional sources that should be reviewed for relevant guidance, as they govern faculty research conduct and may address AI-assisted writing
not defined — additional sources (Faculty Handbook section 1-5 and Responsible Conduct of Research policy) were identified but not reviewed and may contain relevant provisions.
- Based on the sources cited, Kenyon does not publish a specific AI policy for research data collection or analysis
- However, IRB policies on investigator responsibilities and the Responsible Conduct of Research document are additional sources that should be reviewed, as they may address data integrity requirements relevant to AI-assisted analysis
not defined — IRB policies (https://www.kenyon.edu/sponsored-faculty-projects/research-compliance/institutional-review-board-policies-and-procedures/1-5-responsibilities-of-the-investigator-and-departments/) and the Responsible Conduct of Research PDF were identified but not reviewed and may contain relevant provisions.
- Based on the sources cited, Kenyon does not explicitly address AI-generated content in grant proposals or IRB applications
- However, the Responsible Conduct of Research policy and IRB procedural documents are additional sources that should be reviewed, as they may contain research integrity obligations applicable to AI use in research ethics contexts
not defined — the Responsible Conduct of Research PDF (https://www.kenyon.edu/files/resources/kenyon-college-responsible-conduct-of-research-pol.pdf) and IRB review process documents were identified but not reviewed and may contain relevant provisions.
Academic Integrity
- When instructors allow AI use, Kenyon requires that such use be acknowledged and documented
- The AI guidance also recommends that faculty explain disclosure expectations in their syllabus, including whether and how AI use should be credited
Some use of AI permitted. The use of generative AI tools is permitted in this course only in ways specified by the instructor, and all use must be appropriately acknowledged and documented.
If students are to use AI, inform students about when and how to disclose use and/or cite the use of generative AI and the process of documenting interactions.
- Kenyon’s cited sources do not state a position on AI detection software
- Enforcement is handled through existing academic integrity processes: unauthorized assistance or presenting another source’s work as one’s own is treated as plagiarism or cheating, and instructors are responsible for reporting suspected violations to the academic dean
Another kind of plagiarism consists in appropriating or imitating another person’s ideas, manner of expressing them, or sequence of ideas, and passing them off as one’s own. This kind of plagiarism includes receiving unauthorized assistance from another person in doing one’s work.
Plagiarism, especially when done deliberately, is a form of cheating, but cheating also includes other forms of student misconduct such as unauthorized possession or use of examinations, fabricating data, forgery, and assisting others to cheat.
An instructor who suspects that an act of plagiarism has occurred should report the case to the academic dean.
The instructor and academic dean will determine whether the student is responsible or not responsible for plagiarism.
Institutional & Administrative
- Kenyon provides faculty-facing guidance encouraging intentional and transparent choices about classroom AI use
- Instructors are expected to communicate AI policies in syllabi and may choose among no-use, limited-use, or free-use models
- The Faculty Handbook academic integrity provisions may also contain additional obligations for faculty; no specific rule on grading, recommendation letters, or administrative communications is stated in the currently cited sources
Faculty should indicate in syllabi any expectations and policies that may be specific to the course.
Before using AI, faculty should consider the pedagogical opportunities, limits, and risks of AI in relation to their course goals, assignments, and students.
Here are some examples of policy language around the use of AI in your classroom:
No use of AI permitted. Generative AI tools may not be used in this course except in ways explicitly outlined by the instructor.
Some use of AI permitted. The use of generative AI tools is permitted in this course only in ways specified by the instructor, and all use must be appropriately acknowledged and documented.
Free use of AI permitted. In this course, students are permitted to use generative AI tools except where specifically prohibited by the instructor.
- The acceptable use policy also prohibits unauthorized disclosure of confidential college data and requires users to consider privacy and security when using third-party services
- Kenyon warns that public AI systems should not be used for personal, proprietary, or confidential information unless the model is institutionally approved and protected by contract
Never put personal, proprietary, or confidential information into a public AI model. Data entered into public AI systems is often retained by the service provider and can be used to train or improve the AI. A public AI tool should only be used for low-risk, non-sensitive data. If AI use on any proprietary or confidential information is desired, use an institutionally approved model which is protected by contracts and terms of service.
Users should exercise caution and good judgment when handling protected, confidential, or otherwise sensitive information.
Users should be aware of privacy, security, contractual, and intellectual property implications when using cloud services or entering agreements with third parties that involve transmitting, storing, or processing College data.
Disclose or share information that the user does not have permission to disclose, such as confidential or personal information, private communications, authentication credentials, or copyrighted materials, except as permitted by the owner or by law
- Kenyon has published institutional guidance framing AI use around mission alignment, transparency, bias awareness, privacy, intellectual property, and human responsibility
- The guidance presents college-level principles for evaluating and adopting AI, but the cited sources do not identify a formal AI committee or a detailed university roadmap
Kenyon is committed to helping our community understand and thoughtfully integrate artificial intelligence (AI) in ways that align with our mission and values, including privacy, academic integrity, and intellectual property rights.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to support the College’s mission and goals but also presents challenges and risks that require critical and informed responses. The following principles are intended to support the Kenyon community in understanding, evaluating, and adopting AI in alignment with our values and best practices.
Understand AI as a complex socio-technical system.
Critically evaluate tools, outputs, and uses.
Acknowledge opportunities and limitations.
Recognize the environmental and societal impacts of AI.
Protect privacy and institutional data.
Understand and respect legal and ethical rights and obligations.
Cultivate ethical and transparent use.
Maintain agency, accountability, and human responsibility.
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 Kenyon College's AI Policies
Kenyon College has defined AI policies in 12 of 12 categories, with an overall coverage score of 100%.
When instructors allow AI use, Kenyon requires that such use be acknowledged and documented. The AI guidance also recommends that faculty explain disclosure expectations in their syllabus, including whether and how AI use should be credited.
Kenyon’s cited sources do not state a position on AI detection software. Enforcement is handled through existing academic integrity processes: unauthorized assistance or presenting another source’s work as one’s own is treated as plagiarism or cheating, and instructors are responsible for reporting suspected violations to the academic dean.
Kenyon warns that public AI systems should not be used for personal, proprietary, or confidential information unless the model is institutionally approved and protected by contract. The acceptable use policy also prohibits unauthorized disclosure of confidential college data and requires users to consider privacy and security when using third-party services.