AI Policy

Table of Contents

Writing Policy

Guiding Principle

AI may support student learning, but it may not replace the student’s own work. The dividing line is that students may not insert AI-generated text (e.g., copying and pasting from ChatGPT) into their writing assignments. All final writing must be written manually by the student.

Allowed Uses of AI

Students may use AI tools for the following purposes:

  • Brainstorming ideas and structuring outlines.
  • Generating alternative explanations or perspectives.
  • Provide grammar and spelling improvements.

Prohibited Uses of AI

Students may not:

  • Copy and paste AI-generated text into their assignments.
  • Submit AI-written text as original work.
  • Use AI to generate entire sections of text.
  • Provide assignment prompts to AI to receive completed solutions.
  • Provide academic papers to AI for summarization.

Coding Policy

Guiding Principle

AI may support student learning, but it may not replace the student’s own work. The dividing line is that students may not insert AI-generated code (e.g., copying and pasting or using agent mode in VSCode) into their projects. All final code must be written manually by the student.

Allowed Uses of AI

Students may use AI tools for the following purposes:

  • Ideation & conceptual support (brainstorming, explanations, pseudocode guidance).
  • Improving understanding (alternative explanations, debugging strategies, API insights).
  • Syntax assistance & autocomplete (GitHub Copilot, IDE autocomplete).
  • Pseudocode usage, provided that students independently translate it into real code.

Prohibited Uses of AI

Students may not:

  • Copy and paste AI-generated code.
  • Use agentic AI to modify files or insert code.
  • Submit AI-written code as original work.
  • Provide assignment prompts to AI to receive completed solutions.

Rationale

This course emphasizes systems-level thinking, debugging, and comprehension. Copying AI-generated code bypasses these learning objectives, while guided explanation supports them.

  1. Think before consulting AI.
  2. Use AI for explanations or strategies, not code.
  3. Translate pseudocode yourself.
  4. Write code manually.
  5. Use autocomplete responsibly.
  6. Test and understand all logic.