AI at UNE

Artificial Intelligence Guidance for the UNE Community

Artificial intelligence is changing how we learn, teach, conduct research, and work.

UNE embraces the thoughtful use of AI while keeping human learning, judgment, creativity, and accountability at the center. We want every member of our community to understand these technologies well enough to use them effectively, question them critically, recognize their limitations, and know when another approach is better.

AI should extend human thinking and capability — not replace them.

Before You Use AI

A few questions can help you make a responsible choice.

What rules apply?

AI expectations depend on context. Course requirements, research protocols, professional standards, data protections, and University policies may all affect what you can do.

When expectations are unclear, ask before proceeding.

What information am I sharing?

Am I using an appropriate tool?

Use UNE-approved tools for University work when required and consult the University's current approved-tools list for guidance.

As personal or consumer accounts may have different protections from a University-managed version of the same service, they are not appropriate for University work.

Can I stand behind the result?

AI can generate incomplete, inaccurate, biased, or fabricated information.

You remain responsible for the work you submit, communications you send, research you conduct, and decisions you make with AI assistance.

AI Literacy at UNE

Learning to use AI includes learning when and how to use it well.

UNE prepares students for a world in which artificial intelligence will increasingly shape professional practice and daily life.

Students should build strong disciplinary knowledge and independent thinking while learning to use AI thoughtfully. Effective AI use requires more than technical proficiency. It requires judgment.

AI literacy includes the ability to:

Choose appropriate tools and ethical uses
Evaluate the accuracy and quality of AI output
Recognize bias and fabricated information
Protect privacy, confidential information, and intellectual property
Use AI without bypassing essential learning
Acknowledge AI use appropriately
Take responsibility for AI-assisted work

The goal is thoughtful, informed participation in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.

Guidance for Students

Use AI in ways that strengthen your learning.

Your instructor determines how AI may be used in each course. Expectations may range from restricted use, to use on selected assignments, to broad integration of AI into coursework.

Start with your syllabus and assignment instructions. If expectations are unclear, ask your instructor before using AI.

Your Work Remains Your Responsibility

When AI contributes to your work, you remain accountable for its accuracy, integrity, and originality. You should understand what you submit and be able to explain and justify your work.

Acknowledge AI Use

When AI contributes to research, creative work, writing, analysis, synthesis, or other academic work, disclose and cite its use according to University and course expectations.

Protect Information and Intellectual Property

Never enter identifiable health information or personal student information into AI tools. Take care with copyrighted material, original work, and personal information.

Course materials also carry intellectual property protections. Follow your instructor's guidance before uploading lectures, slides, assignments, or other materials to an AI system.

Use the Right Tools for Research

General-purpose AI tools may overlook, misrepresent, or fabricate scholarly sources. Use UNE Library resources, appropriate research tools, and librarian expertise when conducting academic research.

Student AI Guidelines (PDF)

Approved AI tools and resources

UNE Library AI resources

Guidance for Faculty

Begin with the learning objective.

The appropriate role for AI will differ across disciplines, courses, and assignments.

Consider what students should learn, which intellectual work they need to practice themselves, and where AI might deepen learning or build skills relevant to their discipline and future profession.

Every Course Needs a Clear AI Policy

UNE encourages faculty to use or extrapolate upon one of the following three statements:

AI use restricted
For coursework where students need to perform the intellectual work independently in order to develop essential knowledge or skills.
AI-integrated with some restrictions
For courses or assignments where AI supports some learning activities while other work should be completed independently.
AI permitted for open use
For learning environments where working thoughtfully and strategically with AI contributes directly to the course goals.

Each approach carries common expectations concerning disclosure, accuracy, originality, privacy, intellectual property, accountability, and misuse. Faculty developing alternative syllabus language are expected to work with their dean, chair, a designee, or CETL for guidance to confirm it is clear to students and consistent with the AI Acceptable Use Policy.

Syllabus AI-use statements are located in the AI Policy Guidance for Faculty (PDF): “Appendix: Sample Syllabus Statements for AI Use.”

Explain the Purpose

Help students understand how your AI expectations connect to learning.

When AI use is restricted, explain the knowledge or abilities students are developing through independent work. When AI use is encouraged, identify what students should learn through that experience. Provide concrete examples or use cases wherever relevant or possible.

Build Judgment, Not Just Compliance

Students bring widely different levels of AI experience to the classroom. Help them learn how to evaluate outputs, recognize bias and hallucinations, protect information, acknowledge AI use, and determine when AI adds value to their work.

Look for Evidence of Learning

Students should be able to explain and justify AI-assisted work. Course and assignment design can make student thinking visible through drafts, discussion, process work, reflection, applied problems, oral explanation, or other forms appropriate to the discipline.

Use AI-Detection Tools Cautiously

UNE does not recommend relying on AI-detection software to determine whether improper AI use has occurred. Detector results may prompt a conversation or further investigation, but they cannot serve as the sole basis for a finding of academic misconduct.

Faculty AI Policy Guidance (PDF)

CETL AI resources and professional development

Guidance For Professional Staff

Use AI thoughtfully. Keep responsibility with people.

Protect University Information

Public AI systems should never receive protected, confidential, sensitive, and high-risk data such as student records, identifiable health information, personnel information, protected research data, financial information, and confidential University information. These data require a tool approved for the appropriate use and data classification.

Verify AI-Assisted Work

Review AI-generated material for accuracy, completeness, appropriateness, and bias. Consult primary sources when accuracy matters.

Preserve Human Decision-Making

AI may support analysis in high-impact decisions involving hiring, admissions, financial aid, promotion, discipline, and similar matters. Human decision makers must retain responsibility for the final decision and be able to explain its basis without relying solely on AI outputs.

Use Transparency Where It Matters

Routine communications generally do not require disclosure of AI assistance. When authorship or AI's contribution is significant, appropriate disclosure should be considered.

Follow University Review Processes

AI tools that integrate with UNE systems or process institutional data must follow established procurement, contract-review, and security-assessment processes.

AI Acceptable Use Policy (PDF)

Approved AI tools

Research and Clinical Use

Use additional care where information, safety, and research integrity are at stake.

AI use in research and clinical environments may involve additional requirements related to human subjects, patient information, research data, sponsor agreements, intellectual property, regulatory obligations, and professional standards.

Protect Sensitive Information

Patient, client, research-participant, and other protected information must not be shared with publicly available AI tools without specific institutional approval.

Include AI in Appropriate Research Review

When AI stores, analyzes, or transforms research data, the tool must meet the requirements associated with that data and, where applicable, be addressed in data-management, security, or IRB processes.

Follow Sponsor and Publication Requirements

Sponsored research and external agreements may impose additional restrictions on AI use. Researchers should also follow applicable journal and disciplinary requirements for disclosure and authorship.

Human authors remain responsible for scholarly work produced with AI assistance.

AI guidance for research and scholarly work (PDF)

Office of Research and Innovation