Charge to Academic Programs on Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Instructional Settings

Generative AI's potential impacts across society and scholarly work is complex and quickly evolving, so each discipline and academic unit will need to consider the potential impacts on their scholarly work and the implications for instruction within their specific contexts.  

In its 2030 Strategic Plan, MSU outlines goals to prepare its students, educators, researchers, and community for success in an ever-changing academic and professional landscape. As such, MSU recommends that academic units seek ways to work with, not in opposition to, generative AI.  

The Office of the Provost asks that every academic unit develop long-term, unit-specific guidance for its instructors about the integration and acceptable use of generative AI in their courses that reflects the development of AI use in their fields. MSU recognizes that what is acceptable, or even preferred, in some units might be antithetical to other units’ values.  

Over the 2023 – 2024 academic year, units should take the following actions:  

1. Outline an acceptable use policy or guidance for generative AI in your unit’s courses that 
   • is based on MSU’s values and mission, including those arising from MSU policies presented below, and the needs of the discipline, and 
   • takes into consideration the diverse teaching modalities in the unit (e.g. lecture vs. recitations vs. labs, off-campus and experiential settings, online courses, etc.), forms of assessment (e.g., tests, papers, projects, etc.), teaching loads, class sizes, and other considerations such as scaffolding a policy based on course level (i.e. more restrictions at the 100-level to more options at the 400-level).  
     
     
2. Consider if your unit needs to adopt or alter an honor code or pledge, or how to best integrate the current ASMSU or College pledges. 
   
   
3. Determine if a common AI technology needs to be adopted department-wide and follow MSU IT guidance for procurement. 
   
   
4. Develop a process to review your policy/guidance to stay abreast of advances in the technology. 
   
   
5. Review and modify your courses’ curriculum design, learning outcomes, assessment, and/or assignments to reflect your generative AI policy or guidance. 

In addition to trends in specific disciplines, units can also find guidance from existing MSU policies including the Code of Teaching Responsibility, Integrity of Scholarship and Grades, and values and principles outlined in the Student Rights and Responsibilities handbook. These documents reflect and shape instruction, assessment, and the expectations of instructors for their students. 

Through these actions we hope to increase campus dialogue and resources for supporting and preparing MSU communities for thriving in this unfolding digital terrain. We recognize that faculty and units are being charged with a new challenge they may not be prepared for. To help facilitate this work, the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI) and the Enhanced Digital Learning Initiative (EDLI) will be producing resources, offering workshops, and facilitating discussions throughout the year. You can learn more about generative AI and participate in discussions here on iteach.msu.edu 


Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash