Program AI Statement
As writing instructors, we trust that students come to our classes with a genuine commitment to their learning and growth, bringing authentic curiosity and questions about academic expectations in this evolving landscape. We recognize that generative AI tools present both opportunities and challenges for writing education, and we approach this technology with a nuanced perspective that acknowledges its potential utility while prioritizing students' development as independent thinkers and writers.
We understand that generative AI is rapidly developing, leading to varying—and sometimes shifting—orientations and policies across different classes, instructors, and departments. While we acknowledge that students will likely encounter and use AI tools in their future academic and professional lives, we emphasize that these tools cannot replace the critical role that unaided writing plays in developing creativity, critical judgment, and authentic voice.
Our approach to AI in writing courses is guided by several core principles:
- Writing as a thinking process: We value writing not just as a product but as a process that helps students develop their thinking. As Peter Elbow notes, "the most important outcome of writing likely lies in the fact that the process of writing helps us think." We encourage students to generate their own ideas, organize their thoughts, and develop their unique voice.
- Conditional and contextual use: We generally permit the use of AI tools in specific, designated contexts while reserving other spaces for entirely independent work. This might include using AI for brainstorming, outlining, or grammar checking, while asking students to generate core content and ideas themselves. Students should always refer to specific assignment guidelines for clarification about AI use on a specific assignment, and they should ask questions if they are uncertain.
- Transparency and documentation: We expect students to acknowledge and document their use of generative AI tools. This may include providing the specific prompts used and steps taken to verify any information provided by these tools.
- Critical AI literacy: We aim to help students develop not just communication skills but also critical AI literacy. This includes understanding the limitations of AI tools, such as their potential to provide inaccurate, biased, or fabricated information.
- Data privacy and security: We emphasize the importance of using university-supported AI platforms (i.e., Microsoft Copilot) when working with sensitive or proprietary information, and we remind students not to share private data with publicly available AI tools.
We invite students to engage in ongoing dialogue about the role of AI in writing and research, recognizing that we are all—both instructors and students—learning to navigate this new terrain together. Our ultimate goal is to help students become writers who can thoughtfully incorporate new technologies into their process while maintaining control over their own thinking, writing, and intellectual development.