Faculty Notes
ALL Faculty are required to use the Red/Yellow/Green framework to create clear AI policies outlining how students may or may not use generative artificial intelligence (AI) in their coursework. Below are customizable syllabus statement options for faculty. Each option aligns with a color-coded system for clarity and consistency across courses and disciplines. Faculty should amend their chosen AI syllabus statement to communicate their course-specific AI policies.
See the Faculty Guidance and Responsibilities and the Sample Syllabi articles for further information
Red Level
Faculty should use one of the following syllabus statement options to communicate their course-specific AI policies:
STOP – No AI Use Permitted
AI Use Course Policy: Strictly Prohibited
While some productivity tools (e.g., Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel) may include AI-powered features for spelling, formatting, or design support, the use of generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT, DALL·E, GrammarlyGO, or similar) to generate, augment, or supplement content for assignments, discussions, or assessments is not permitted in this course.
Rationale: This course emphasizes original thought, personal reflection, or discipline-specific skill-building that must be demonstrated independently. Use of AI will be considered academic dishonesty and handled according to Vol State Policy III:00:05 on Student Conduct and Discipline Standards.
Instructor Notes: Faculty can edit to include:
- Course penalties for unauthorized use
- How violations will be reported or addressed in accordance with the policy
Yellow Level
CAUTION – Limited AI Use Permitted
AI Use Course Policy: Permitted with Restrictions
You may use AI tools in this course as outlined in the AI Acceptable Use Guidelines course page.
Guidelines: Any use of AI must be clearly cited or acknowledged in your work. Failure to disclose AI assistance may be treated as a violation of academic integrity and handled according to Vol State Policy III:00:05 on Student Conduct and Discipline Standards.
Instructor Notes: Faculty should edit to include a link to the Acceptable Use Guidelines course page. See the Sample AI Use Guidelines to Include in a Course article for an example of what should be included in your course
- Acceptable/unacceptable use examples depending on the course and each assignment
- Discipline-specific tools or practices
- Required citation methods for AI-generated content
- Student responsibilities
- Course penalties for unauthorized use
- How violations will be reported or addressed in accordance with the policy
Green Level
GO – Full AI Use Permitted
AI Use Course Policy: Open with Ethical Responsibility
You are encouraged to use AI tools in your work for this course, including for research support, idea development, writing assistance, and project creation.
Guidelines: You must demonstrate critical engagement with AI-generated content and are responsible for verifying accuracy and originality. All AI-assisted work should be transparently cited or acknowledged in accordance with course guidelines. Failure to disclose AI assistance may be treated as a violation of academic integrity and handled according to Vol State Policy III:00:05 on Student Conduct and Discipline Standards.
Instructor Notes: Faculty can edit to include:
- Recommended AI tools or platforms
- Suggested formats for AI citation or disclosure
- Reflection prompts on ethical AI use within the discipline
- Student responsibilities
Additional Examples for Guideline Use
AI Use Allowed
- Brainstorming topic ideas - List AI as a source if it influenced your submitted work.
- Generating an outline or structure - Generating an outline or structure is okay, however you must write and develop content yourself.
- Summarizing readings or articles - Include a citation or note of AI use.
- Rewriting for grammar/clarity (e.g., Grammarly, Word Editor) - Built-in tools (not content generation) are allowed.
- Translating short phrases or definitions - OK for clarifying a word phrase, but not to complete assignments.
AI Use Not Allowed
- Writing full drafts of assignments - Your own work is required.
- Creating final discussion responses/posts - Responses must be your own writing.
- Completing quizzes, exams, or assessments - Strictly prohibited unless specifically stated that is is allowed.
- Analyzing data or solving problems - Submit your own analysis and reasoning.
- Generating citations or references - Use library tools or citation guides as AI sometimes fabricates sources.
Statement Amendments
Faculty may amend their chosen AI syllabus statement to include the following format examples or student responsibility statements.
1Sample AI Disclosures and Citations
When citing AI-generated content, it's essential to provide as much information as possible about the source, including the title, author (if available), publication date, and URL if applicable. Additionally, students should follow the general principles of academic integrity and provide citations to give credit to the original creators of the content. Below are some resources and examples for reference:
2Student Responsibilities
- Follow Course-Specific Guidelines: Students must adhere to their instructor’s AI use policy as detailed in the course syllabus.
- Disclose AI Use: When using AI, students must cite or acknowledge the tool (e.g., "ChatGPT was used to outline this paper").
- Ensure Accuracy: Students are responsible for verifying the accuracy and appropriateness of AI-generated content.
- Respect Privacy and Copyright: Students must not input confidential, copyrighted, or protected information into public AI systems, consistent with TBR confidentiality, copyright, and research compliance policies.
Research Use
- Faculty and students conducting research with AI tools must adhere to data security, intellectual property, and human subject’s protection standards.
- Use of AI in federally defined human subjects research at Vol State must be approved by an Institutional Review Board.
- Researchers are responsible for citing AI tools and clearly delineating AI contributions in any research outputs.
Additional Faculty Guidance and Responsibilities
- Templates: All faculty should use the red-yellow-green framework to create clear syllabus language. By Spring 2026, all faculty, whether full-time or adjunct, are required to utilize the red-yellow-green framework.
- Communicate Expectations: Syllabi must clearly articulate acceptable AI uses, expectations for academic integrity, and consequences for unauthorized use.
- Class Discussions: Faculty members are encouraged to discuss the implications of AI use in academic and professional settings to help foster their critical thinking and understanding.
- Design Ethical Assessments: Instructors are encouraged to create assignments that assess critical thinking, collaboration, and ethical AI use.
- Caution with Detection Tools: Faculty should avoid using AI detection tools as the sole basis for disciplinary action due to reliability concerns, such as the risk of false positives and algorithmic bias, as outlined by the TBR AI Collaborative.
Additional Faculty Resources
The Teaching & Learning Center has compiled a list of resources for faculty regarding artificial intelligence and teaching and learning. Access the TLC Generative AI Resources here.
Bridging Mind and Machine: TBR AI Resources. This is a website/resource hub for TBR educators exploring the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in teaching and learning.
Student Guide to AI. This is a student-centered document created by AAC&U to help students navigate questions about responsible use in academic settings.
This document was partially generated using OpenAI's ChatGPT. The AI tool was used to summarize initial drafts.