AI tools vary widely in how they handle your information; some store what you enter and may use it to improve future responses or for further training. Sharing sensitive information such as student or employee data with certain AI platforms could unintentionally make that data accessible beyond SHU. 

In order to protect data and privacy, please refer to the “Approved AI Tool List” for safe AI tools to use that have been vetted by IT.

Faculty and staff should treat AI tools the same way they treat any system that handles university information. Avoid including student records, health details, financial data or any confidential university data in AI prompts or data sets when using AI tools not approved for enterprise use. 

AI use must comply with existing university policies and expectations.

Generative AI is a tool that automates and generates content in response to prompts, whereas Agentic AI can integrate with software systems to complete and execute tasks independently or with minimal human supervision. 

In order to protect data and privacy, please refer to the “Approved AI Tool List” for safe AI tools to use that have been vetted by IT.

According to SHU’s Academic Integrity Policy, using AI in unethical ways constitutes academic misconduct. The following behaviors are not permitted: 

• using AI to falsify data or sources, generating content without proper attribution, 

• presenting AI generated material as the student’s own work, 

• and any other violations of the instructor’s written policy on AI use (in syllabi, rubrics, or assignment instructions). 

Students are expected to acknowledge when they use ideas or material from generative AI, following citation practices specified by their discipline or instructor. If a student fails to adhere to any component of this policy, faculty may assign a failing grade for the assignment and/or course. Faculty may also complete an Academic Integrity report, which is kept on file. When a student accrues two or more reports, additional disciplinary action may be warranted.

As the human in the loop, you are responsible for verifying AI outputs. You must review AI-generated content for accuracy, bias or potential misinformation before using, sharing or citing it. 

You can use the SIFT method for evaluating AI outputs: S for stop, I for investigate, F for find better sources, and T for trace claims. You can read more about the process here: https://pressbooks.pub/introtocollegeresearch/chapter/the-sift-method/

You should always ask your faculty about their AI policy for every course. Every discipline and course will necessarily ask you to engage (or abstain) from AI in different ways. A use of AI that may be acceptable in one class may not be in another. If your faculty member has not clearly identified an AI policy in the syllabus or assignment instructions, make sure you ask! Never assume it's permissible to use AI in a certain way.

When you do engage with AI, you should do so in ways that advance SHU’s mission and values. Act as the human in the loop and maintain responsibility for judgment, context and final decisions. 

Proper citation depends on how you used AI and the citation style required by your instructor. Always check your syllabus first, as individual course policies vary.

• For General Use (Brainstorming, Outlining, Editing): Include a brief Disclosure Statement in your assignment (e.g., "I used ChatGPT to help outline Section 2 and proofread early drafts"). You do not need a formal citation.

• For Direct Content (Generated Text, Quotes, Code, Images): You must cite the tool formally. Note that AI tools cannot be listed as authors—the company (e.g., OpenAI) is the author.

Quick Style Guide

• APA: List the company as the author in-text (OpenAI, 2026) and provide a reference list entry:
  OpenAI. (2026). ChatGPT (GPT-4o version) [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com

• MLA: Start the Works Cited entry with your prompt in quotation marks:
  "Analyze themes in Frankenstein" prompt. ChatGPT, GPT-4o version, OpenAI, 14 Mar. 2026, https://chatgpt.com.

• Chicago: Include details in a footnote rather than the bibliography:
  1. Text generated by ChatGPT, OpenAI, March 14, 2026, https://chatgpt.com.

Key Rule: You are responsible for the accuracy of your work. Always fact-check AI outputs, track down original primary sources, and save your chat logs in case your instructor requests them.

If AI helped you generate ideas, organize your thoughts, or refine your arguments—but you wrote every word of the final submission yourself—you do not need a formal citation (in-text citation or Works Cited entry).

Instead, you should include a brief Disclosure Statement or Acknowledgement Note in your assignment to maintain academic integrity.

What to Include:

Place a brief note at the beginning or end of your paper (or as a footnote on the title page) explaining:

1. Which AI tool you used.

2. How you used it.

3. A statement confirming that all final text is your own work.

Example Disclosure Statements:

• For Brainstorming / Outlining:
  "Disclosure: I used ChatGPT (OpenAI) to brainstorm potential essay topics and help structure an initial outline. All research, writing, and final editing were completed independently by me."

• For Debating / Counterarguments:
  "Acknowledgement: I used Claude (Anthropic) as a sounding board to test counterarguments for my thesis statement. No AI-generated text was included in this paper."

Tip for Students: Keep a copy or screenshot of your AI chat log. If your instructor ever has questions about your writing process or an automated flag, having your brainstorming history on hand provides proof of your original work.

1. Basic Features (No Citation or Disclosure Needed)

Standard proofreading features typically fall under routine software assistance and generally do not require acknowledgment:

• Standard spelling and basic grammar checks.

• Basic predictive text / auto-complete (a word or two at a time).

• Built-in dictionary or thesaurus.

2. Advanced/Generative Features (Requires Disclosure)

If the feature restructures your ideas, alters your writing style, or generates new content, it does count as AI assistance:

• Tone Adjustments & Rewriting: Using tools to "make this sound more professional" or "rephrase this paragraph".

• Text Generation / Draft Expansion: Clicking "draft with Copilot" or auto-completing whole sentences/paragraphs.

• Summarizing or Formatting: Asking the processor to summarize text or build structural tables for you.