Sonoma State University

AA and SA Email to Students on Student Use of Generative AI (August 21, 2023)

August 21, 2023

 

To: All Students

 

From: Karen R. Moranski,  Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and 

Gerald L. Jones, Vice President for Student Affairs

 

RE: Student Use of Generative AI

 

As many of you know, generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools, like ChatGPT, Bard, and DALL-E, have exploded on the market, and you may have explored their uses already. Generative AI tools can produce new and unique outputs, including human-like text. They assist in tasks such as writing, research, creating computer code, and language translation, among other tasks. As the availability of these tools increases, so does their usage by students to complete assignments, provide answers to tests, and generate creative content. 

 

While these tools may be used positively in a number of Sonoma State University (SSU) classes, there is growing concern that students could use these tools in ways that will harm their academic careers, particularly by using them to cheat or plagiarize in violation of SSU’s Policy on Cheating and Plagiarism. Using AI without examination or proper citation is very similar to copying directly from the internet. It can lead to charges of plagiarism or cheating and sanctions that stay on your academic record, and could hurt your chances of getting a job or getting into graduate or professional programs. AI is a tool that cannot replace your learning to think, write, research, and create for yourself. AI is known to generate incorrect information, produce harmful or biased content, and has limited knowledge of the world and events after 2021. If you choose to use an AI tool, verify any information it provides and be sure to properly cite any content you integrate into your academic and personal projects. For guidance on how to cite or verify AI-generated content, visit, email, chat, or make an appointment with our Sonoma State University Librarians. 

 

Like the internet, AI is a tool you can use in a safe and positive way, but it is crucial that you check with your professors about using AI in coursework. Faculty have the academic freedom to decide how AI can be used in their courses and what may constitute plagiarism or cheating in the context of AI. Generally, faculty will take one of three main approaches:

 

  • They may incorporate AI and allow the use of it in assignments, with proper citation and documentation
  • They may allow limited use of AI for specific assignments or in particular ways with proper citation and documentation
  • They may prohibit the use of AI in all course assignments or projects

If you do not see a course policy statement about AI in the syllabus, please ask your instructor about their policy early in the semester. Instructors may require that you submit assignments to one of the many new AI detection tools out there. Those detection tools are not yet consistently accurate, so if you have concerns you are being falsely accused of using AI inappropriately, talk with your professor first and explain in detail how you completed the assignment or test, how you got your ideas, and how you wrote what you submitted to your instructor. 

AI can be a helpful tool in some courses if used analytically and responsibly. You have a variety of campus resources to assist you with safe and ethical use of AI and with concerns about plagiarism and cheating:

Please talk with your professors and carefully follow their policies regarding the use of AI tools in your courses.