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The Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning has created an AI Text Generators: Resource Page to assist students, faculty & staff with the use of AI Text Generators, such as ChatGPT, and how to properly acknowledge them in course policies.
If you are a student seeking guidance for AI use in your Mason course, contact your instructor directly.
Per the Stern Center's guidelines for Spring 2025, all instructors should identify one or more recommended statements to use regarding academic integrity and Generative-AI programs.
Mason is an Honor Code university; please see the Office for Academic Integrity for a full description of the code and the honor committee process. Three fundamental principles to follow at all times are that: (1) all work submitted be your own, as defined by the assignment; (2) when you use the work, the words, or the ideas of others, including fellow students or online sites, you give full credit through accurate citations; and (3) if you are uncertain about the ground rules on a particular assignment or exam, ask for clarification. No grade is important enough to justify academic misconduct.
Use of Generative-AI tools should follow the fundamental principles of the Honor Code.
Use of Generative-AI tools should be used following the fundamental principles of the Honor Code. This includes being honest about the use of these tools for submitted work and including citations when using the work of others, whether individual people or Generative-AI tools.
The Stearns Center recommends skepticism about tools or programs that indicate a reliable way of detecting whether text, artwork, or code is fully or partially generated by an AI tools.
Note that there are some technologies existing and more on the way that will claim to be able to "detect" writing from an AI text generator, but using them remains problematic in many ways:
These may provide some feedback to instructors, but they are unlikely to be anywhere near a foolproof tool.
For a thorough explanation of the principled reasons and technical limitations that make relying on any kind of "AI detection" tool problematic, see University of Rochester professor Whitney Gegg-Harrison's overview. [Opens new window]
Chasing after "cheating" students, particularly as technologies continue to develop additional capabilities, is a losing game. Stearns Center continues to develop additional capabilities, is a losing game. Stearns Center continues to recommend that faculty invest their time now in alterations to their courses, messaging, assignments, and support structures to encourage and enable students to engage in meaningful assessments of their learning.
| Course Policy on Generative AI | Sample Core Policy Language | Transparency about Policy Enforcement | Potential Expansion | Discipline or Course Specific Addendum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No use | All work submitted in this course must be your own original work; use of AI writing tools, such as ChatGPT, are prohibited in this course and will be considered a violation of academic integrity. All academic integrity violations will be reported to the office of Academic Integrity. | Student work may be analyzed using an originality detection tool focused on Generative AI tools. | Original work is required in this course to meet its learning objectives. Work produced by Generative AI is not original work and will not aid in the learning process for this course. OR The learning objectives for this course require students to demonstrate skills and practices that they can reliably perform without supplemental tools. |
In order to do the higher-level work in X field, you need to understand/apply fundamental concepts and skills without the use of AI tools. Practicing without the use of these tools will aid in learning. |
| Some use | When explicitly stated by the instructor, Generative AI tools are allowed on the named assignment. Students will be directed if and when citation or statement-of-usage direction is required. Use of these tools on any assignment not specified will be considered a violation of the academic integrity policy. All academic integrity violations will be reported to the office of Academic Integrity. | Some student work may be analyzed using an originality detection tool focused on AI tools. Generative AI detection tool use will be revealed when the assignment directions are provided to students. | Use of Generative AI tools will sometimes be in alignment with the learning outcomes for this course; when meeting the outcome requires original human action, creativity or knowledge, AI tool use would not align with the stated course goals. | There will be times in X field that use of AI tools will be needed for you to do well at the job and there will be times where you will need to be able to do the work without support from these tools. This course aims to provide you with experience in the real-world scenarios that you may encounter once you leave the university. |
| Unlimited use | Students may use Generative AI tools whenever they believe it would be useful to their learning of course material. Students will be directed if and when citation or a statement-of-usage is required. All academic integrity violations will be reported to the office of Academic Integrity. | Student work will not be submitted through originality detection software focused on AI tools because the utilization of these types of tools is expected. | Although you are unrestricted with your use of Generative AI tools, you will be responsible for any incorrect, biased, or unethical information that is submitted, and your assignment grade will reflect the inclusion of any material that is incorrect or offensive. AND/OR Additionally, you must be transparent with your use and identify when the tool was used. |
Use of these tools will likely be very commonplace in X field and gaining experience in the ethical and efficient use of these tools will help you in your professional life once you have left the university. |
| Required use | This course will require the use of Generative AI tools for some (or all) assignments and assessments. Therefore, the use of these tools when instructed will not be considered a violation of academic integrity. Students will be directed if and when citation or a statement-of-usage is needed. Non-directed or unethical use may be a violation of Academic Integrity and so be reported to the office of Academic Integrity. | Student work will not be submitted through detection software because the utilization of these types of tools is expected. OR Detection software may be used for assignments where using Generative AI tools does not align with the course learning objectives. |
Work produced with the aid of Generative AI is not without risk. You will be responsible for any incorrect, biased, or unethical information that is submitted and you must be transparent with your use even on assignments where you are required to use Generative AI. | The use of Generative AI will be a crucial set of skills that you will need to have a successful career in this field. AND/OR Entry level jobs in X field will require sufficient knowledge and experience with prompt engineering [or other AI skills that are relevant to your field I.e., coding]. |
SOURCE: Stearns Center AI Text Generators [Opens new window]
