Guest Speaker Presentation —

Doug Ward, Associate Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence and Associate Professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications is visiting today to discuss how we “use” AI rather than put up fences against – and how to draw on its strengths + navigate the challenges of it. 

Doug has been working on an AI Literacy Course for students. The goal is for this to be incorporated in Student Orientation. It is still in the works. 

Students need guidance on how to use Generative AI. Helpful to have collaborative discussions on strengths and weaknesses. 

New Business —

• Currently the University doesn’t have a policy on AI and instructors are questioning how to integrate it since it’s up to individual faculty regarding how it can be used.
• AI isn’t going away – do we need a policy? It needs to be broad enough to not be cumbersome and give some room to experiment, but also protect academic integrity. 

The idea of putting AI in Syllabus could be very helpful – if every class had a statement about “Generative AI” for both small and large classes and labs. 

• COGA ( College Office of Graduate Affairs) : with review and approval from the Executive Council of Graduate Faculty, COGA came up with “guidelines” for AI relating to Thesis/Dissertation.
• This is currently with General Counsel for review.
• COGA felt they needed to give guidance since Thesis/Dissertation are excluded from the Syllabus Policy and Resources. 

• This wasn’t developed from scratch – it was based on similar policies from peer institutions. 

   

  Draft Minutes from Nov 4, 2025 - still need official approval when committee reconvenes in early 2026