Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

Board Policy 8.020

1. Purpose
   Delta College recognizes that Artificial Intelligence (AI), including generative AI, is rapidly transforming higher education, the workplace, and society. The use of AI may improve efficiency and teaching and learning potential, but such use carries risk. This policy outlines the acceptable use of AI tools and applications within Delta College and its campuses to ensure their safe, ethical, and responsible use.
   
   This policy establishes a comprehensive framework to:

• • Promote ethical, responsible, and transparent use of AI
  • Protect academic integrity and intellectual honesty
  • Safeguard student, employee, and institutional data
  • Encourage innovation while preserving human judgment and equity
  • Provide clear expectations for students, faculty, staff, administrators, contractors, vendors, consultants, third parties, and partners

2. Scope
   This policy applies to:

• • All students in academic, co-curricular, and experiential learning contexts
  • All faculty, staff, administrators, and student employees
  • Contractors, vendors, consultants, third parties, and partners using AI and/or institutional data on behalf of Delta College
  • All AI systems, tools, or platforms used for instructional, operational, or administrative purposes

3. Definitions
   For the purposes of this policy:
   
   Artificial Intelligence (AI)
   Computer systems or tools capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence and/or human intervention, including learning, reasoning, and content generation.

   Generative AI
   AI tools that create new content including but not limited to , images, audio, video, code, or data (e.g., large language models).

   Open AI Systems
   Public or consumer AI tools where user input may be stored, reused, or used for model training.

   Closed AI Systems
   Institutionally managed or contractually restricted AI tools with defined data protection and privacy controls.

   AI Tools
   Any software, platform, application, system, model, algorithm, or service that utilizes artificial intelligence, machine learning, generative artificial intelligence, natural language processing, predictive analytics, computer vision, or similar automated technologies to generate, analyze, process, recommend, classify, summarize, or otherwise manipulate data, content, communications, or decision-making outputs, whether hosted locally, cloud-based, or provided by a third party.

   Shadow AI Tools
   Use of artificial intelligence tools, applications, or models by employees without the explicit approval, supervision, or security oversight of their organization’s IT or cybersecurity teams.

   AI Output
   Any content, recommendation, or decision generated by an AI system.

   Prompt
   User-provided input or instruction given to an AI system.

   High-Impact Decision
   Decisions that materially affect individuals, including, but not limited to admissions, grading, hiring, promotion, discipline, financial aid, or student support eligibility.

4. Guiding Principles
   
   
   1. Academic Integrity

• 1. • AI may not be used to misrepresent work as original human effort.
     • Unauthorized or undisclosed AI use constitutes academic misconduct.
     • AI use must align with course, program, or institutional expectations.
     • Transparency and Attribution
       
       
  2. When AI is used, users must clearly disclose:

• 2. • The AI tool(s) used
     • The purpose of AI use
     • The nature of assistance provided key prompts or instructions that materially shaped the output, when disclosure is required by course, department, or College guidelines
       
       
  3. Privacy, Security, and Protection of Sensitive Data

• 3. • AI use must comply with all applicable federal, state, local, and institutional privacy and security requirements.
       
       
  4. Human Oversight and Judgment

• 4. • AI may assist but may not replace human judgment.
     • Final responsibility for decisions, content, and actions rests with the human user.
       
       
  5. Equity, Ethics, and Bias Awareness

4. • • • Users must remain aware of potential bias, inaccuracies, and limitations in AI outputs.
       • AI tools should be evaluated for accessibility, fairness, and impact on marginalized populations. 
         
         
5. Acceptable Uses of AI
   When consistent with this policy, and other College policies, rules, and applicable guidance, acceptable uses include:
   
   
   • • Brainstorming, outlining, and idea development
     • Drafting or editing content with human review and revision
     • Research support, summarization, and synthesis with verification
     • Coding assistance and debugging support
     • Accessibility support (e.g., translation, captioning, text-to-speech)
     • Data analysis or operational efficiency support (non-sensitive data only)
       
       All AI-generated content and/or agentic AI processes and actions must be reviewed, verified, and edited by the user.
       
       
6. Prohibited Uses of AI
   
   
   1. Data and Privacy Violations
      • Entering confidential, personal, student, employee, institutional data, or financial data into Open AI systems examples include:
        • Users are prohibited from entering the following into publicly available or non-approved AI systems: Personally identifiable student information, student work protected under FERPA. Employee personnel records or protected human resource data Non-public financial records, payment information, banking data, or financial information containing personally identifiable information. Confidential institutional data designated as restricted or sensitive under institutional data governance policies
        • Use of internal or sensitive institutional data within AI systems may be permitted only when: The AI system has been institutionally approved or contractually secured. Data security safeguards meet institutional and regulatory standards. Use aligns with prescribed institutional purposes.
      • Using AI tools that lack appropriate security or contractual safeguards
        
        
   2. Academic Misconduct
      • Using AI to complete assignments, exams, or assessments without explicit authorization
      • Submitting AI-generated content as original work
      • Using AI to circumvent achieving learning objectives
        
        
   3. Surveillance, Profiling, or Monitoring
      • Using AI to track, profile, rank, evaluate, or predict student or employee behavior without authorization and appropriate human guidance
      • Automated monitoring of individuals without transparency or consent
        
        
   4. High-Impact Automated Decision-Making
      • Fully automated decisions in admissions, grading, hiring, discipline, or financial aid
      • AI-generated evaluations without meaningful human review
        
        
   5. Harmful or Malicious Use
      • Generating discriminatory, harassing, defamatory, misleading, or false content
      • Using AI for fraud, impersonation, or policy evasion
        
        
7. Student Guidance
   • Students must follow course-specific AI expectations established by faculty.
   • When AI use is permitted, students must disclose and document usage as outlined in the instructor’s assignment guidelines.
   • Students remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of submitted work.
   • Students must comply with this policy, and all College policies and rules when using AI.
     
     Violations are subject to the Student Code of Conduct.
     
     
8. Faculty Guidance
   Faculty have academic freedom to determine appropriate AI use within their courses. Faculty may adopt one or more of the following models:
   
   
   • Model A – AI Prohibited
     • No AI use permitted.
     • Any AI use constitutes academic misconduct.
       
       
   • Model B – AI Allowed with Conditions
     • AI permitted for specific tasks (e.g., brainstorming, outlines).
     • Disclosure and citation required.
       
       
   • Model C – AI Integrated
     • AI intentionally incorporated into learning activities.
     • Assignments require documentation of prompts, outputs, reflection, and verification.
     • Faculty are encouraged to clearly state AI expectations in syllabi and assignments.
       
       
9. Staff Guidance
   
   
   • Staff must follow the college’s expectations regarding appropriate use of AI tools that are laid out in the policy
   • When AI tools are used in creating work product, communications, reports, or other materials, employees should disclose and document AI usage when required by supervisory direction, departmental procedures, or institutional policy
   • Staff remain fully responsible for the accuracy, quality, originality, appropriateness, and integrity of all work products and decisions supported or generated through AI tools
   • Staff must use AI tools in compliance with this policy and all applicable College policies, procedures, cybersecurity standards, confidentiality requirements, and legal obligations.
   • Misuse of AI tools, including unauthorized disclosure of confidential information, policy violations, or unethical or unlawful use, may result in corrective or disciplinary action consistent with College policies and employment practices
     
     
10. Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Practices
    Delta College encourages:
    
    
    • Class assignment redesign to emphasize process, reflection, and applied learning
    • Oral presentations, project-based work, and other methods of assessment developed by the faculty to assess learning.
    • Instruction on ethical and effective AI use for students
      
      AI detection tools may be used cautiously and may not be the sole basis for academic misconduct findings due to high false positive rates.
      
      
11. Faculty, Staff and Administrative Use
    1. Training and Competency
       • All Employees must complete college-approved AI training prior to using AI in official duties.
       • Training will address ethical use, privacy, bias, and institutional standards.
         
         
    2. Tool Approval
       • AI tools must be reviewed and approved by IT and/or the Technology Strategies, Priorities and Project Review (SP2) prior to use.
       • Shadow or unapproved AI systems are prohibited.
         
         
12. Vendors, Contractors, and Third Parties
    • AI-enabled vendor tools must undergo legal, privacy, security, and accessibility review prior to use for Delta College purposes.
    • Vendor and contractor contracts must disclose AI use or intentional use, data handling practices, and model training implications as they relate to any services provided to Delta College to safeguard the college’s information.
    • Vendors and contractors may not use Delta College data for any AI purpose, including AI training, without explicit authorization.
      
      
13. Governance and Oversight
    Delta College Administration will maintain an IT governance committee (SP2) responsible for:
    
    
    • Reviewing and approving AI tools used at the institution.
    • Monitoring compliance and risk
    • Recommending policy updates
    • Coordinating training and communication
    • Advising leadership on AI integration, impact, strategy and evaluation
      
      
14. Reporting, Enforcement, and Compliance
    • Suspected misuse must be reported to the appropriate office(s) (Student Conduct, HR, IT).
    • Violations will be addressed under existing disciplinary procedures.
    • Enforcement will emphasize transparency, privacy, security, education, and due process
      
      
15. Review and Updates
    This policy will be reviewed and updated to reflect:
    
    
    • Technological advancements
    • Legal and regulatory changes
    • Emerging best practices in higher education
    • Feedback from the campus community

 

Board Action 5701 – June 9, 2026