In the absence of an institutional AI policy, individual teachers make individual calls — which means students face wildly inconsistent rules from one classroom to the next. A clear policy fixes that.
Start with principles, not a tool list
Naming specific tools guarantees your policy is outdated within a year. Principles — disclosure, understanding over output, academic integrity — age much better than a list of approved software.
Give departments room to specialize
A single campus-wide rule rarely fits every discipline. A strong policy sets shared principles, then lets departments define specific application to their own coursework.
Include a process for updates
AI capability moves fast. Build a review cycle into the policy itself — annual at minimum — so it doesn't quietly become irrelevant the way many "technology use" policies from a decade ago did.
Communicate it to students directly, not just faculty
A policy that only lives in a faculty handbook doesn't set clear expectations for the people it's meant to guide. Make sure students actually see and understand it, not just hear about it secondhand.