Teaching & Learning
- Students are expected to understand and follow the specific AI-use instructions for each course and ask the instructor for clarification when needed
- Instructors have the authority to set and communicate their own course policies on student use of AI tools for coursework and assignments (from allowed to prohibited)
“University of Iowa instructors have the authority to set classroom policies on the use of AI tools by students under the university’s academic policies. Students should understand their instructors’ policies on AI use and seek clarification if needed. Instructors will set the policy for how AI can and cannot be used in their courses, and students must follow those instructions.”
- Using AI in a way that violates the instructor’s rules is treated as academic misconduct
- Whether AI tools are permitted on examinations and other assessments is determined by the instructor’s course policy
“Instructors will set the policy for how AI can and cannot be used in their courses, and students must follow those instructions. ... Unauthorized use of AI constitutes academic misconduct.”
- This is distinct from using AI on graded coursework, which is governed by instructor-specific policies
- The university describes permitted student use cases for AI as learning and study assistance (e.g., brainstorming, summarizing, practice questions, translation, and interview/presentation practice)
“Student use cases [include]: Brainstorming and refining ideas; Summarizing complex topics to improve understanding; Generating practice questions or quizzes to test your knowledge; Translating text; Practicing for interviews or presentations.”
- Use of AI for code generation and programming work in courses is at instructor discretion
- Instructors set and communicate what AI can and cannot be used for in their course assignments (including potentially prohibiting AI use unless explicitly allowed)
“Instructors will set the policy for how AI can and cannot be used in their courses, and students must follow those instructions.” Also, syllabus guidance includes example language such as: “The use of generative AI is not allowed on any assignment unless I specifically state it is.”
Research
- AI cannot be listed as an author
- Any AI use in a manuscript or research proposal must be disclosed in the appropriate section (e.g., methods or acknowledgments)
- University guidance allows researchers to use AI to support research writing and manuscript/proposal preparation, subject to journal and funder rules
“Authorship: Consistent with the ICMJE and other guidance, AI cannot be listed as an author on a research publication. All listed authors must meet authorship criteria and be accountable for the work. Attribution and Disclosure: Any use of AI in a manuscript or research proposal must be disclosed in the appropriate section (e.g., methods, acknowledgments).”
- AI may be used for research data analysis and related tasks, but sensitive/confidential/restricted institutional data must not be entered into public AI tools
- For work involving sensitive institutional data, the university directs users to university-approved AI tools (e.g., Microsoft Copilot Chat or ChatGPT Edu) that provide enhanced data protection
“Do not enter any sensitive or confidential data into public AI tools, including student data, patient data, intellectual property, or any other information classified as 'Restricted' or 'Confidential' under the university’s Data Classification Guidelines. For work with sensitive institutional data, use university-approved AI tools like Microsoft Copilot Chat or ChatGPT Edu, which offer enhanced data protection.”
- Researchers remain accountable for the integrity of their work, including any AI-assisted content, and must fact-check/verify AI outputs
- AI-generated text and ideas must be handled like other sources; using them without appropriate attribution is treated as plagiarism and an academic integrity issue
“Accountability: Researchers and scholars are responsible for the integrity of their work, including any AI-generated content. Fact-checking and verifying AI-generated output is crucial. ... Plagiarism and academic integrity: AI-generated text and ideas must be treated like any other source. Proper citation is required to avoid plagiarism.”
Academic Integrity
- The university emphasizes transparency around AI use
- For coursework, students should be transparent and must follow any instructor-specific disclosure/citation rules
- For research manuscripts and proposals, AI use must be disclosed in the appropriate section (e.g., methods or acknowledgments)
“Regardless of the specific policy for a course, students should be transparent about their use of AI tools. Citing AI-generated content is important for maintaining academic integrity.”
- Unauthorized AI use is still handled as academic misconduct through existing processes, but faculty are encouraged to focus on clear policies and assessment design rather than detectors
- The university does not recommend using AI detection software to determine academic misconduct, citing unreliability and bias and noting that tools cannot definitively prove AI authorship
“The University of Iowa does not recommend using AI detection software to determine student academic misconduct. These tools have been found to be unreliable and biased, and there are currently no tools that can definitively prove that a text was written by an AI.”
Institutional & Administrative
- The university provides guidance and examples of permitted AI use cases for faculty and staff (teaching, research, and administrative work)
- Users are responsible for appropriate use, including verifying AI outputs, and must comply with university data protection expectations when using AI tools
“[Faculty use cases include:] Developing course materials (e.g., syllabi, lesson plans, discussion prompts); Creating rubrics and grading criteria for assignments... [Staff use cases include:] Drafting emails, reports, and other communications; Summarizing long documents or meeting transcripts; Brainstorming ideas for projects or initiatives.”
- Use of AI must follow university data classification expectations (e.g., restrictions for data classified as Restricted or Confidential)
- The university provides approved AI platforms with enhanced security (Microsoft Copilot Chat and ChatGPT Edu) and instructs users not to enter sensitive or confidential institutional data into public AI tools
“The university currently offers two AI services with enhanced data security for faculty, staff, and students: Microsoft Copilot Chat and ChatGPT Edu. These tools prevent user prompts and university data from being used to train the models... Do not enter any sensitive or confidential data into public AI tools... classified as 'Restricted' or 'Confidential'.”
- The strategy emphasizes responsible and ethical AI use across research, teaching, and administrative work, along with providing support resources and approved tools
- The university presents a coordinated, campus-level approach to AI via central guidance and resources developed by the Office of the Provost in collaboration with campus partners, and delivered through an ITS AI portal
“The University of Iowa is committed to exploring and leveraging the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in research, teaching, and administrative work, while also addressing the ethical and practical challenges it presents. This site provides guidance, resources, and support for the responsible use of AI across campus... The guidance on this page was developed by the Office of the Provost in collaboration with campus partners...”
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 University of Iowa State's AI Policies
University of Iowa State has defined AI policies in 12 of 12 categories, with an overall coverage score of 100%.
The university emphasizes transparency around AI use. For coursework, students should be transparent and must follow any instructor-specific disclosure/citation rules. For research manuscripts and proposals, AI use must be disclosed in the appropriate section (e.g., methods or acknowledgments).
The university does not recommend using AI detection software to determine academic misconduct, citing unreliability and bias and noting that tools cannot definitively prove AI authorship. Unauthorized AI use is still handled as academic misconduct through existing processes, but faculty are encouraged to focus on clear policies and assessment design rather than detectors.
The university provides approved AI platforms with enhanced security (Microsoft Copilot Chat and ChatGPT Edu) and instructs users not to enter sensitive or confidential institutional data into public AI tools. Use of AI must follow university data classification expectations (e.g., restrictions for data classified as Restricted or Confidential).