Bethel Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy
General AI Policy for All
AI is a powerful tool that can enhance productivity, creativity, and decision-making, but its use must be responsible, ethical, and aligned with university policies. Human oversight is essential - no university decision may be made by AI alone. Users must critically assess AI generated content for accuracy, bias, and appropriateness before applying it in any official capacity.
When AI tools are used to generate substantial content in final work products, disclosure to a supervisor is required. However, minor assistance - such as grammar checking, editing suggestions, brainstorming, or using AI as a thought partner - does not need disclosure. Be mindful that many common applications (e.g., Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Grammarly) now include AI features that may operate automatically.
Data security is paramount. Never input confidential, sensitive, or personally identifiable information into AI tools unless explicitly authorized under validated contracts and security controls. AI systems should not be used to process personal information about university community members without contractual safeguards and proper security measures in place. Additionally, when AI tools provide the option, users should opt out of allowing their data to be used for training future AI models.
All AI-generated content must be verified for accuracy, originality, and potential bias before use. AI can produce incorrect, biased, or fabricated information ("hallucinations") and may inadvertently include copyrighted material. Users are fully responsible for any AI generated content they publish or use in university work. AI outputs should be evaluated for potential biases or disparate impacts, particularly concerning protected classifications such as race, ethnicity, age, or disability status. If bias is detected, the output should be rejected or adjusted to ensure fairness and compliance with university policies.
As a faith-based institution committed to creation care, Bethel University recognizes the environmental impact of AI technologies, including the energy consumption associated with training and running large models. Users are encouraged to adopt mindful practices, such as limiting unnecessary or excessive AI queries and choosing efficient tools, to reduce our collective digital carbon footprint. The university will strive to work with vendors who prioritize sustainability in their AI offerings, and we urge all community members to consider environmental responsibility as an integral part of ethical AI use.
AI Tool Review Requirements
AI tools using public or non-sensitive information require no special permission. However, any AI system that interacts with, generates, or makes decisions based on protected university data must be evaluated and approved by the Information Technology Governance Committee before deployment.
To ensure security, compliance, and responsible usage, the university categorizes AI tools based on their intended use:
General Productivity AI (e.g., Chatbots, Writing Assistants): Can be used for nonsensitive tasks like drafting emails, summarizing content, and brainstorming ideas, provided no confidential data is shared.
AI for Data Analysis & Decision Support: Requires approval before implementation if it processes university data. Outputs must be reviewed for accuracy and bias.
AI in Teaching & Learning: Faculty and staff should refer to institutional guidelines on AI integration in coursework, assessments, and student support tools.
AI for Administrative Automation: Any AI handling student records, financial data, or personnel information must undergo a risk and compliance review before adoption.
A list of approved AI tools and their permitted use cases will be maintained and updated regularly to guide staff and administrators in selecting AI solutions that align with university policies and security protocols.
AI Policy for Students
Generative AI can support your education through brainstorming, creating study materials, and explaining difficult concepts.
Misusing this technology undermines our mission of educating and equipping students to lead lives of impact through transformative academics in a Christ-centered community. Using AI to replace genuine engagement contradicts education's purpose. Consider whether you're supplementing your learning or substituting it.
This policy ensures authentic engagement with course material in a technology-rich environment. While AI will likely feature in your future career, you must develop the knowledge and skills your assignments are designed to build.
Presenting AI-generated or modified work as your own constitutes academic dishonesty. Using AI in ways that violate instructor policies or without explicit permission violates the University's Academic Integrity Policy. Failing to verify AI-provided information also breaches academic integrity.
Using AI as a reference tool for ideation, research assistance, translation, or tutoring is permitted with faculty discretion if properly acknowledged and cited. Always check your syllabus and consult instructors about AI use in specific courses.
When not explicitly addressed in coursework, students should consult supervisors, department chairs, or associate deans regarding appropriate AI use.
Students conducting AI-related research should collaborate with faculty advisors to follow field-specific best practices and document methodology, data sources, and algorithms. Those conducting human subjects research involving AI must follow Institutional Review Board policies.
AI Policy for Instruction
Faculty determine how, if, and when generative AI may be used in their courses based on learning outcomes.
It is recommended that faculty prohibiting AI revise assignments that easily invite AIgenerated content.
Faculty incorporating AI must clearly state usage parameters in syllabi, announcements, and assignment instructions. Discuss academic integrity expectations and share your rationale for AI policies with students.
Develop specific course policies about appropriate AI tool use. Consider including AI discussions in class and online. Some instructors partner with students to determine appropriate use, creating opportunities to discuss specific tools' benefits, limitations, and potential impact on learning objectives.
Faculty and students should know that data submitted to AI software may become part of its training dataset unless opted out. Discuss data sharing boundaries early in courses and never upload FERPA-protected student information.
Exercise caution with AI detection tools, which risk misidentification, false positives, bias against non-native speakers, and cannot keep pace with evolving AI. Use these tools as guidelines, not grading metrics. Clear expectations, student relationships, and authentic assessments are typically more effective than detection tools.
If AI detection suggests suspect work, gather additional evidence before discussing with the student. Data gathering could include obvious mistakes in the written work, references that are made-up or are not actually relevant to the content, writing that is not responsive to the prompt, writing that is not in keeping with past writing from the student, etc. A conversation with the student should take place when additional evidence is presented. Follow university academic integrity procedures for policy violations.
Faculty assigning AI tools must prioritize equitable access.
AI Policy for Research
Researchers using Generative AI must transparently disclose its use in methods, acknowledgements, or other appropriate sections.
Researchers are responsible for verifying accuracy of AI-generated content in research outputs.
Follow all policies set by journals, funding agencies, and professional societies regarding AI use in research.
Never upload unpublished research data or confidential information into Generative AI tools. Inputting unpublished work into AI tools makes it available to the model's dataset, potentially exposing it to other researchers' queries, jeopardizing intellectual property protection, and risking privacy violations.
Avoid uploading third parties' confidential information, as AI tools may not protect such data and could breach contractual commitments. This includes unpublished manuscripts or funding proposals under peer review. NIH, NSF, and other organizations prohibit using AI for peer review. This also includes research subjects' personal information, as inputting interview data could inadvertently make subjects' information public or identifiable.
Be aware that AI outputs may infringe on third-party rights, as responses draw from existing works.
All University research remains subject to institutional research integrity policies.
AI Policy for Meetings
Configure AI tool settings to prevent learning from meeting content and block data sharing with developers or third parties.
Meeting hosts must inform attendees before using AI transcriptions or summaries, allowing objections or providing more information.
Never use AI tools to transcribe meetings involving sensitive or restricted data.
Unauthorized AI assistants (like http://Read.ai ) in Zoom or Teams meetings may share all content with third-party vendors who can use it for model training. These tools can join scheduled meetings without the organizer present. Hosts should remove unauthorized AI tools from meetings.
AI Policy for Staff and Administrators
Staff and administrators play a vital role in integrating AI to enhance efficiency, streamline operations, and support data-driven decision-making. AI should be used responsibly, with transparency and ethical oversight, ensuring it aligns with Bethel University’s core values. While AI can improve workflow automation and provide valuable insights, it should always complement human judgment rather than replace it. Clear communication regarding AI’s role in administrative functions is essential to maintaining trust and accountability.
AI usage must adhere to strict data privacy and security standards. Staff should exercise caution when inputting data into AI systems, ensuring compliance with FERPA, GDPR, GLBA and other institutional policies. Confidential or personally identifiable information should never be uploaded to third-party AI tools unless they have been vetted and approved. Additionally, AI-generated content and recommendations must be reviewed for accuracy, bias, and ethical considerations before being implemented in institutional processes.
To maximize AI’s benefits, staff and administrators should engage in ongoing professional development to understand AI’s capabilities and limitations. AI should support operations such as data analysis, reporting, and workflow automation, but always with human oversight to ensure fairness and reliability. Departments using AI must establish clear guidelines on its appropriate use, ensuring that decision-making remains transparent, equitable, and mission aligned.
Ultimately, AI should be a tool for empowerment and innovation, advancing the university’s mission while upholding integrity and trust. As AI continues to evolve, it is the responsibility of staff and administrators to ensure its use remains intentional, ethical, and compliant with institutional AI policies.
Data Storage and Privacy
Projects involving University Personally Identifiable Information must comply with relevant laws, policies, and contractual obligations.
Exercise extreme caution with new technologies handling PII. The rapid incorporation of AI has created tension between technologies and regulators, leaving compliance status uncertain.
Treat information given to an AI tool as if it were public.
Never use confidential or sensitive data in AI platforms without university approval, as many tools lack sufficient security and may share data unexpectedly.
Entering any restricted data into any generative AI tool or service is prohibited unless given proper administrative approval. This includes data protected by FERPA, HIPAA, other private client data, private information related to employees, material under confidential review and not written by the AI user (such as funding proposals, manuscripts, etc.), and intellectual property not publicly available. Users should be aware of the guidance and prohibitions instituted by their own programmatic governing and accreditation bodies.
When uncertain, consult your supervisor or department leadership before inputting or sharing data with AI platforms.
Prohibited Use
Bethel University community members are prohibited from using Generative AI tools to generate malicious content, such as malware, viruses, worms, and trojan horses that may have the ability to circumvent access control measures put in place by Bethel University, or any other third-party entity, to prevent unauthorized access to their respective networks..
Using AI tools or services to intentionally generate content that constitutes discrimination, sexual harassment, stalking, or sexual exploitation is prohibited.
The use of AI to create fake academic credentials, fraudulent research, or any other activities that may harm individuals or institutions is prohibited, unless such use is pursued as an educational experience under faculty direction and guidance.
The use of AI tools or services to generate content that helps others break federal, state or local laws; the use of AI to intentionally violate institutional policies, rules or guidelines; or licensing agreements or contracts is prohibited.
Reporting Inappropriate Uses of AI
If you suspect that a faculty member has inappropriately used AI, please report this issue to the department chair or college dean.
Student misuse should be handled following the university Academic Integrity policy.
Staff misuse should be reported to the immediate supervisor.