GenAI Syllabus Statements

Instructors at the University may allow or prohibit the use of Generative AI (GenAI) tools in their courses and are strongly encouraged to include a clear syllabus statement outlining their expectations. A well-crafted course policy should define acceptable and unacceptable uses of GenAI, reference relevant academic policies, and support students in reaching compliance. Students should consult their instructors if they are unsure what constitutes acceptable use.

This resource, developed in collaboration with the Senate Committee on Educational Policy, supports faculty in creating clear syllabus statements on GenAI use, whether they choose to allow or prohibit such tools. These statements may be adopted or adapted to suit any course policy on GenAI, course learning objectives, instructional methods, and assessment styles. 

This resource is divided into two parts:

  • Part One outlines the elements of GenAI course policies:
    • Three statements for any GenAI course policy
    • Two additional statements for courses that allow GenAI use
    • Four optional recommended statements that may be added to provide further explanation.
  • Part Two provides customizable syllabus statement language that instructors can copy, modify, and integrate into their course materials.

GenAI Syllabus Statements

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GenAI Syllabus Statements

Statements for any GenAI Syllabus Policy

  • Statement 1: Tasks and practices allowed and prohibited
    • Use of generative artificial intelligence as part of coursework requires written instructor permission. Provide specific examples of how students may or may not use GenAI tools. For example, you may limit AI to specific tasks or assignments. Encourage students to consult and confirm the policy before starting an assignment.
  • Statement 2: List acceptable and unacceptable GenAI tools
    • Clearly state whether UMN-licensed Generative AI tools are permitted in the course, even if GenAI use is prohibited. Specify which, if any, tools may be used. Instructors are encouraged to recommend UMN-licensed tools, as these have been vetted for accessibility and data privacy and are available to students at no cost through their UMN login. Third-party tools that fall outside the University’s licensing agreements may not meet these standards, though students may choose to access them independently.

Faculty interested in purchasing licenses for third-party tools are encouraged to consult the University of Minnesota Request Process for UMN Software Purchases and other use policies.

  • Statement 3: Connect course policy with academic integrity and copyright Policies
    • Scholastic Dishonesty:
      • Generative AI tools are considered online learning support platforms and may not be used for course assignments except as explicitly authorized by an instructor, and as outlined in UMN Board of Regents Policy: Student Conduct Code, Section IV, Subd.1: Scholastic Dishonesty, which states:

"Scholastic dishonesty means plagiarism; cheating on assignments or examinations, including the unauthorized use of online learning support and testing platforms; engaging in unauthorized collaboration on academic work, including the posting of student-generated coursework on online learning support and testing platforms not approved for the specific course in question; taking, acquiring, or using course materials without faculty permission, including the posting of faculty-provided course materials on online learning and testing platforms; ...".

Additionally, Administrative Policy: Grading and Transcripts, Section D: Scholastic Dishonesty, provides instructors the discretion to award a grade of an F or N if they find “[s]cholastic dishonesty in any portion of the academic work for a course.”

Instructors should indicate any tools that might be used to uncover scholastic dishonesty. Be aware that the UMN does not currently license any GenAI detection tools; these tools vary in reliability and are not recommended as the only verification of a student’s work.

  • Copyright:
    • Indicate materials that may not be uploaded to GenAI tools. Students and instructors should only input materials for which they hold the copyright into AI tools. This could include prohibiting students from inputting any instructor-created course materials such as slides, lectures, and assignment prompts into GenAI tools. Similarly, instructors may not upload student work into GenAI tools when it may violate copyright or FERPA. See “Copyright Ownership by Students” in Administrative Policy: Copyright Owner Policy and Board of Regents Policy: Student Education Records for more information.

Statements for when AI is permitted

  • Statement 4: Indicate how students will acknowledge GenAI use, including citation practices and required documentation
    • Board of Regents Policy: Student Conduct Code, Section III, Subdiv. 5: Plagiarism indicates “Instructors are expected to provide clear standards regarding academic work expectations in the course syllabus. It is the responsibility of all students to understand the standards and methods of proper attribution and to clarify with each instructor the standards, expectations, and reference techniques appropriate to the subject area and class requirements, including group work and internet use.”

Provide examples of expected citation, attribution, documentation, and acknowledgment practices. This could include directing students to retain unaltered GenAI input/output logs or files or evidence of their thinking and composition process, such as notes, calculations, annotated readings, drafts, and concept maps (see library citation guide).

  • Statement 5: Statement of any data, security, and copyright considerations
    • Instructors should remind students never to upload personally identifiable information, passwords, health information, protected UMN data, or images with attached metadata.
    • Students are responsible for ensuring their use of AI tools complies with course and institutional policies. This includes fact-checking AI-generated content and being aware of potential copyright risks (see Board of Regents Policy, Student Conduct Code, Section III, Subd. 5: Plagiarism). To ensure work meets the U.S. standard of human authorship, students are encouraged to retain evidence of how they have transformed or curated AI outputs.

Statements you might also want to include

  • Optional Statement A: Reaffirm the importance of original thought
    • Instructors may want to note the importance of developing the skills to think critically, reason independently, and generate original ideas. Students may be reminded that GenAI tools are not substitutes for their intellectual effort or scholarly expression. Active engagement with course materials, critical thinking and judgment, and expression of original ideas should never be outsourced to technology.
  • Optional Statement B: Introduce AI Use in the context of the course
    • Contextualize GenAI by highlighting the disciplinary uses of these tools, course-specific aims and goals for GenAI use, and the relationship of GenAI use to student learning outcomes (course-based, curricular, or institutional).
  • Optional Statement C: Disclose Instructor Use of AI, if applicable
    • Model transparency and proper attribution by disclosing any use of GenAI in developing course materials or facilitating the course. Instructors should never input student work into GenAI tools without the student’s explicit written consent, and all materials must be anonymized, regardless of whether they are used for instructional or research purposes.
  • Optional Statement D: Note that your policy is subject to change
    • Acknowledge that policies, practices, and approved tools may be updated anytime during the semester as technology evolves, and encourage transparency regarding novel uses and experimentation.

Customizable Syllabus Policy Statements

The following examples apply the above guidelines to create sample syllabus statements instructors can modify to fit any GenAI course policy. Instructors are encouraged to customize the language to suit their course objectives, disciplinary context, and preferred teaching and assessment methods. Bolded sections within the templates are prompts for instructors to reflect on the specific context of their course and articulate their own AI policy. 

AI Use is Prohibited

In this class, the ability to [skill or competency] is essential for [field of study/professional application]. Because this course emphasizes [skill for development or specific learning outcome], using Generative AI tools [including those available to you through the University of Minnesota,] are not permitted. 

[GenAI tools are not substitutes for your intellectual effort or scholarly expression. Active engagement with course materials, critical thinking and judgment, and expression of original ideas should never be outsourced to technology].

Any violation of this is subject to the UMN’s Scholastic Dishonesty policy included in the Board of Regents: Student Conduct Code. This includes [specific examples of prohibited uses such as brainstorming ideas, summarizing coursework, or incorporating any part of an AI-generated response in an assignment]. [Assignments may use UMN licensed plagiarism detection tools such as TurnItIn to verify student work].   

Violations will be subject to [consequences such as a grade penalty, failing the assignment, redoing an assignment, etc.]. In addition, the incident will be reported to the Office of Community Standards. 

Additionally, the Student Conduct Code also prohibits sharing, uploading, or reproducing copyrighted course materials—including student coursework, lecture slides, readings, and assignments—on AI platforms. [Likewise, I will not upload your work to any GenAI tools for teaching or research purposes without your written consent].   

If you are unsure whether a particular use of AI is allowed, assume it is not and consult the instructor before proceeding. 

AI Use Is Permitted 

In this course, students will [statement of learning outcomes, competencies, or disciplinary goals]. Given that Generative AI may aid in [developing or exploring course, discipline, professional, or institutional goals/competency], students may use these tools in the following ways: 

  • Students may use AI tools to assist with [list of allowed assignments, tasks e.g., idea generation, grammar improvement, coding debugging]. [Students may only use GenAI when specifically indicated in the assignment details]. Appropriate tools include [list of approved tools].
  • Students may not use AI tools for [list of assignments or activities].  Because we’re focused on developing [skills], use of AI would undermine our goals. Students with questions or concerns regarding this should confirm policy with the instructor before using GenAI to complete any part of an assignment. 

When using AI tools:

  • Include proper citation for AI-generated text, images, or other media according to [preferred citation style, e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago]. An example citation might look like this:
  • Include an AI disclosure statement. For example:
    • "For this assignment, I used [list of AI tools used in assignment] for [specific purpose, e.g., generating an outline, summarizing sources, grammar revision] but not for [list of student contribution, e.g., direct content creation.]"
  • You may be asked to show proper documentation of your process as required by the assignment. This could include [retaining digital artifacts such as logs, or process documents such as  in-class drafts, verison history logs in Google Docs that demonstrate your editorial intervention in AI outputs]. 

Students are responsible for any data input into AI tools and the AI-generated outputs they choose to include in their coursework. 

  • Do not enter private, sensitive, or copyrighted information into AI systems, including personal information, research data, or any instructional or peer-generated materials from this course. The Student Conduct Code and University copyright policies prohibit students from uploading or sharing instructor or peer course materials (e.g., lecture notes, assessments, readings, discussion posts) with AI tools or external platforms without written consent [note if any course materials can be used in approved AI tools]. [I will not upload your work to any GenAI tools for teaching or research purposes without your written consent and any work uploaded will be fully anonymized].
  • Tools may generate false, misleading, biased outputs and illicitly reproduce copyrighted materials. You are responsible for vetting all generated responses before using them in your work.
  • Any violation of this course policy, including failure to disclose or adequately cite AI use when required may be considered Scholastic Dishonesty in accordance with the Student Conduct Code and the Office of Community Standards Consequences & Outcomes.  [Assignments may use UMN licensed plagiarism detection tools such as TurnItIn to verify student work].  Violations will be subject to [consequences such as a grade penalty, failing the assignment, redoing an assignment, etc.]. In addition, the incident will be reported to the Office of Community Standards.

As the AI landscape evolves globally and at the UMN, this policy is subject to revision at any point throughout the semester. Students will be alerted to any changes via [contact method].