Academic Affairs Principles
Saint Joseph’s University’s Guiding Principles for AI provide the foundation for our community’s engagement with this technology. Within Academic Affairs, the following principles guide our commitment to ensuring that AI serves to strengthen — rather than compromise or diminish — the educational experience at the heart of our mission.
AI is a Tool Used to Support Learning, Not to Replace It
The purpose of education is not simply to produce answers or complete tasks more efficiently. The process of learning — asking questions, wrestling with complexity, developing expertise, and refining judgment — is essential to intellectual growth and development.
AI should be used in ways that serve to strengthen student learning and creativity while preserving the intellectual work through which students develop knowledge and skills. The use of AI should complement, not replace, the human effort required for meaningful learning.
Faculty Expertise Guides Decisions About AI in Teaching
Faculty members are best positioned to determine whether, when, and how AI tools support the learning objectives of their respective courses and disciplines. Academic fields differ, and appropriate uses of AI will vary across courses, programs, and professions.
Saint Joseph’s University affirms the role of faculty judgment in establishing expectations for AI use in their courses. Faculty should communicate clear guidance to students about when AI may be used, how it should be used, and when its use is inconsistent with course expectations.
Our goal is not to prescribe a single approach to AI adoption, but to encourage thoughtful engagement grounded in learning goals and disciplinary expertise.
AI Literacy Is Part of Preparing Students for the Future
AI will increasingly shape the professions and communities into which our graduates enter. Preparing students for this future requires more than teaching them how and when to use AI tools. It requires helping them to understand the capabilities, limitations, and implications of these technologies. Students should develop the ability to evaluate AI-generated information, recognize potential biases, understand ethical implications, and exercise appropriate judgment when using AI in academic and professional settings. Moreover, students should understand and evaluate the cost to our environment that the use of AI poses.
The most successful graduates in an AI-enabled world will not simply know how to use technology. They will understand the need to evaluate it, know when to challenge it, and the ways in which human judgment is indispensable.
Academic Integrity Requires Responsibility and Transparency
AI tools do not replace responsibility for the work we produce. As a community of scholars and learners, faculty and students are accountable for the accuracy, quality, and integrity of their work, regardless of the extent of AI’s role in the process.
Responsible academic use of AI requires, at minimum:
- thoughtful evaluation of AI-generated content;
- adherence to University academic integrity expectations;
- respect for intellectual property, privacy, and ethical standards.
Moving Forward
The landscape of artificial intelligence will continue to evolve. Saint Joseph’s University is committed to supporting faculty, students, and staff as they explore the opportunities and challenges these technologies present.
In an age of artificial intelligence, our mission remains unchanged: educate people who use knowledge wisely, serve others generously, and contribute to the common good.
