Boston College

AI @ BC: Guidelines

• 发布单位Publishing unit Boston College AI @ BC
• 官方来源Official source https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/sites/generative-ai/Guidelines.html

---

Guidelines

The resources on this website are designed to support the Boston College community’s safe, responsible, and ethical use of AI, in accordance with University guidelines on AI use.

Ethical Considerations

Legal Considerations

Data Security and Privacy

University Policies

Ethical Considerations

As with any new technology, there are risks. Content creation by AI can potentially be misused, like generating misleading information or deep fakes. Ethical concerns also arise around AI authorship.

As with many digital tools, it's crucial to be aware of its limitations, such as potential biases in algorithms and the inability to replace human insights and connections^{核实责任Verification duty}. Additionally, faculty should offer, and students should defer to, guidelines about appropriate use of AI in coursework, or when such use is prohibited. Students should also be aware of the appropriate and authorized use of AI in each class as outlined by the instructor and in accordance with the

University Academic Integrity Policies

.

Legal Considerations

AI raises important and often intersecting legal issues. Understanding some of these legal implications is key to safe and responsible use of AI tools. Here are just three areas of legal compliance and risk to keep in mind as we collectively work to minimize exposure to potential legal pitfalls:

Data Privacy and Security

Data Privacy and Security

The universe of data that can get fed into AI systems is massive. In our University environment, particularly sensitive data include, for example, student records, employment records, health records, research data, financial information, proprietary or otherwise confidential information. When it comes to sharing information with AI systems, data privacy and security risks (data breaches, legal and regulatory violations, and reputational risks, etc.) persist. Users of AI tools across the University must understand their existing data privacy and security obligations, such as compliance with Boston College policies and procedures, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and contractual obligations on various fronts. Be sure to visit the Data Security and Privacy page on this website for additional information specific to Boston College approved AI tools.

Intellectual Property

Intellectual Property

There are significant legal questions and continued uncertainty regarding AI and copyright infringement, as well as the ownership and eligibility of AI-generated works for IP protection. Authors, scholars, artists, and other copyright holders have filed numerous lawsuits against developers and deployers of AI systems, alleging copyright infringement and unauthorized use of their copyrighted works in connection with AI systems. As a practical matter for users of AI systems across the University, AI use must not violate the copyright and other IP rights of third parties.^{知识产权IP & copyright} Additionally, authors, creators, and other content generators may face new challenges in protecting their own IP rights as AI use proliferates.

Evolving Legal Landscape

Evolving Legal Landscape

The AI legal and regulatory landscape is quickly evolving both in the U.S. and internationally. In the U.S., a growing number of states are developing their own laws governing the use of AI. There is no AI legislation at the U.S. federal level as of early 2025. However, a number of legal questions surrounding the use and development of AI tools are playing out in U.S. courts. The range of issues being litigated is vast: copyright and ownership; use of AI in academic coursework; academic integrity; data privacy; surveillance and tracking; bias and discrimination; and more. A number of public databases try to monitor these ongoing developments, including one from The George Washington University at https://blogs.gwu.edu/law-eti/ai-litigation-database/

.

Outside the U.S., many countries are developing and promulgating their own AI governance models and legislation. Notably, the European Union’s EU AI Act became law in 2024 and serves as a model for many for harmonized rulemaking on AI. The EU AI Act is anchored on a risk-based approach to AI systems and use cases, classifying them in four risk levels: minimal, limited, high, and prohibited. The first compliance requirements under the EU AI Act came into effect in February 2025, banning certain prohibited practices and imposing AI literacy requirements for providers and deployers of AI systems. Information about the EU AI Act is available at https://artificialintelligenceact.eu/

.

Why does this matter?

By understanding these and the myriad of other legal implications of AI use, members of the Boston College community can harness the benefits of safe and responsible AI use, while mitigating their and the University’s potential exposure to legal and regulatory risk in an ever-changing landscape. Boston College’s Office of the General Counsel can help faculty and staff navigate legal questions they may have about AI use.

Data Security and Privacy

BC’s currently supported AI tools (see Resources > AI Tools) offer Data Protection.^{机构工具Institutional tools} Which protects BC data and ensures that data is not used to train the model and is not released to other users or organizations.

Be aware that any information entered in publicly available AI tools may not only be processed, but also retained and used by the AI to give answers to others. This means if you enter any personal information about yourself or any confidential Boston College information, that information may be stored and potentially shared with or sold to others.

Important:

Do not use your BC credentials (BC username, password, or any BC email address) to sign up for publicly available AI tools. When you use your BC email address to sign up for online services, even if they are free, you may be putting your personal information and Boston College data at risk. Not all companies meet BC’s security standards when it comes to protecting user data.

‘Confidential' and 'Strictly Confidential' data, as defined by the Boston College Data Security Policy, should not be used in any online AI tool (even if it has data protection), without University review.^{数据与隐私Data & privacy}

University Policies

Use of AI tools must comply with all existing and applicable University policies and procedures. These include the

Data Security Policy

; the

Professional Standards and Business Conduct Policy

; the

Use of University Technological and Information Resources Policy

;

Academic Integrity Policies

; the

Student Code of Conduct

; and the various applicable policies promulgated by Boston College’s constituent colleges, schools, and programs.

Faculty considering the use of AI themselves, or possible use by students in their classes, should refer to the

Center for Teaching Excellence

’s page.

Acquisition of new AI software or subscription, like any other software, is subject to the “

GetTech

” process.

Academic Integrity (Undergraduate)

• 发布单位Publishing unit Boston College University Catalog
• 官方来源Official source https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/academics/sites/university-catalog/policies-procedures/academic-integrity.html

---

Academic Integrity (Undergraduate)

The pursuit of knowledge can proceed only when scholars take responsibility and receive credit for their own work. Recognition of individual contributions to knowledge and of the intellectual property of others builds trust within the University and encourages the sharing of ideas that is essential to scholarship. Similarly, the educational process requires that individuals present their own ideas and insights for evaluation, critique, and eventual reformulation^{学习理由Learning rationale}. Presentation of others' work as one's own is not only intellectual dishonesty, but it also undermines the educational process.

Undergraduate: Standards

Undergraduate: Promoting Academic Integrity: Roles of Community Members

Undergraduate: Procedures

Standards

Academic integrity is violated by any dishonest act which is committed in an academic context including, but not restricted to, the following:

Cheating is the fraudulent or dishonest presentation of work. Cheating includes but is not limited to:

the use or attempted use of unauthorized aids in examinations or other academic exercises submitted for evaluation;

fabrication, falsification, or misrepresentation of data, results, sources for papers or reports, or in clinical practice, as in reporting experiments, measurements, statistical analyses, tests, or other studies never performed; manipulating or altering data or other manifestations of research to achieve a desired result; selective reporting, including the deliberate suppression of conflicting or unwanted data;

falsification of papers, official records, or reports;

copying from another student's work;

actions that destroy or alter the work of another student;

unauthorized cooperation in completing assignments or during an examination;

the use of purchased essays or term papers, or of purchased preparatory research for such papers;

submission of the same written work in more than one course without prior written approval from the instructors involved;

dishonesty in requests for make-up exams, for extensions of deadlines for submitting papers, and in any other matter relating to a course.

work generated through unsanctioned and/or undocumented artificial intelligence (A.I.) assistance.^{默认规则Default rule}

Plagiarism is the act of taking the words, ideas, data, illustrations, or statements of another person or source and presenting them as one's own. This includes using the assistance of artificial intelligence (A.I.) text generators to perform central requirements of an assignment^{违规定性Integrity framing} (i.e. reading, synthesizing, interpreting, writing, coding, programming, etc.) without both the explicit permission of the instructor and complete attribution and citation of A.I. assisted components^{披露要求Disclosure}.^{课程规则优先Instructor override摘录Excerpt}

Each student is responsible for learning and using proper methods of paraphrasing, quotation, footnoting, and other forms of citation, to ensure that the original author, speaker, illustrator, or source of the material used is clearly acknowledged.

Other breaches of academic integrity include:

the misrepresentation of one's own or another's identity for academic purposes;

the misrepresentation of material facts or circumstances in relation to examinations, papers, or other evaluative activities;

the sale of papers, essays, or research for fraudulent use;

the alteration or falsification of official University records;

the unauthorized use of University academic facilities or equipment, including computer accounts and files;

the unauthorized recording, sale, purchase, or use of academic lectures, academic computer software, or other instructional materials;

the expropriation or abuse of ideas and preliminary data obtained during the process of editorial or peer review of work submitted to journals, or in proposals for funding by agency panels or by internal University committees;

the expropriation and/or inappropriate dissemination of personally-identifying human subject data;

the unauthorized removal, mutilation, or deliberate concealment of materials in University libraries, media, or academic resource centers.

Collusion is defined as assistance or an attempt to assist another student in an act of academic dishonesty. Collusion is distinct from collaborative learning, which may be a valuable component of students' scholarly development. Acceptable levels of collaboration vary in different courses, and students are expected to consult with their instructor if they are uncertain whether their cooperative activities are acceptable.

Promoting Academic Integrity: Roles of Community Members

Student Roles in Maintaining Academic Integrity

Student Roles in Maintaining Academic Integrity

Students have a responsibility to maintain high standards of academic integrity in their own work and thereby to maintain the integrity of their degree. It is their responsibility to be familiar with, and understand, the University policy on academic integrity.

Students who become aware of a violation of academic integrity by a fellow student should respond in one of the following ways:

Students may discuss their concerns with the student whom they suspect of a violation. Direct contact by another student may be the best means of resolving the problem. Repeated demonstration of student concern for academic integrity will, in the long run, build a peer-regulated community.

If the incident is a major violation or part of a repeated pattern of violations, students should bring their concerns to the attention of the instructor or to the appropriate department chairperson or associate dean. Suspected violations by students reported to members of the faculty or to an associate dean will be handled according to the procedures set forth below.

Students who have serious concern that a faculty member is not living up to his or her responsibility to safeguard and promote academic integrity should speak with the faculty member directly or bring their concern to the attention of the department chairperson or associate dean.

Faculty Roles in Fostering Academic Integrity

Faculty Roles in Fostering Academic Integrity

Faculty members should provide students with a positive environment for learning and intellectual growth and, by their words and actions, promote conditions that foster academic integrity.

Faculty should be concerned about the impact of their behavior on students. Students are sensitive to messages communicated in informal discussions and in casual faculty remarks about personal decisions and value judgments. Students are perhaps most sensitive to how responsibly faculty members fulfill their obligations to them in the careful preparation of classes, in the serious evaluation of student achievement, and in their genuine interest in and availability to students.

Faculty should promote academic integrity in the following specific ways:

At the beginning of each course, instructors should discuss academic integrity in order to promote an ongoing dialogue about academic integrity and to set the tone and establish guidelines for academic integrity within the context of the course, e.g., the extent to which collaborative work is appropriate. Where relevant, instructors should discuss why, when, and how students must cite sources in their written work.

Instructors should provide students with a written syllabus that states course requirements and, when available, examination dates and times.

Instructors are encouraged to prepare new examinations and assignments where appropriate each semester to ensure that no student obtains an unfair advantage over his or her classmates by reviewing exams or assignments from prior semesters. If previous examinations are available to some students, faculty members should ensure that all students in the course have similar access. Course examinations should be designed to minimize the possibility of cheating, and paper assignments should be designed to minimize the possibility of plagiarism.

Proctors should be present at all examinations, including the final examination, and should provide students with an environment that encourages honesty and prevents dishonesty.

Faculty should respect students' intellectual property and the confidentiality of student academic information.

Assignment of grades, which is solely the responsibility of the instructor, should be awarded in a manner fair to all students.

Academic Deans

Academic Deans

Academic deans have overall responsibility for academic integrity within their schools. In particular, deans' responsibilities include the following:

promoting an environment where academic integrity is a priority for both students and faculty, ensuring that students who are honest are not placed at an unfair disadvantage, and establishing procedures to adjudicate charges of academic dishonesty and to protect the rights of all parties.

Procedures

Academic integrity is central to the educational and formative mission of the University. A University-Wide Undergraduate Academic Integrity Committee, made up of Academic Officers from each of the Undergraduate Schools and Colleges, reviews all reports of academic dishonesty. Faculty and students are consulted on an ad-hoc basis depending on the case.

When a faculty member determines that a student's work violates the standards of academic integrity, the faculty member is encouraged to discuss the matter with the student. The faculty member should notify the student of the substance of the violation and the action that the faculty member proposes to take. If the faculty member decides to impose a grading penalty, a letter of notification describing the incident, the evidence supporting the allegation, and the proposed grading penalty is to be sent to the Associate Dean of the school or college in which the course is taught.

On receipt of such a notification, the Undergraduate Academic Integrity Committee will notify the student of the allegation and the evidence. If the course is outside of the student’s home school or college, the student’s class Dean will also be notified. The student will be given an opportunity to respond to the allegation in writing (within 5 business days). The Committee is dedicated to resolving cases in a just and timely manner and to maintaining the confidentiality of any students involved. While a case is pending, the student may not withdraw from or change status in the course.

Each reported violation of the standards of academic integrity will be reviewed by the University-Wide Undergraduate Committee on Academic Integrity. This will ensure that, in cases involving students from more than one school or students in joint or dual degree programs, the process and penalty will be consistent.

The committee's approach is a formative one that expects students to reflect on their experience, understand the impact of their choices, and make decisions differently based on what they've learned. The approach is meant to be educational and restorative, rather than punitive. A finding of responsibility requires a preponderance of the evidence—that is, evidence showing that it is more likely than not that the alleged violation occurred.

Consequences for Students Found Responsible

Consequences for violations will depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and the student's previous record of violations.

The committee may issue a warning as the sole consequence, with no additional penalty.

The committee may affirm the faculty member's penalty and issue the student a "warning," which will be kept in a confidential electronic file until the student graduates and will not be reportable to professional schools or outside agencies.

The Committee may recommend a different grading penalty and/or impose additional administrative penalties.

The most severe penalties may include university probation, suspension, or expulsion, all of which become part of a student's academic record and are reportable to graduate/professional schools and outside agencies.

The Associate Dean of the school in which the course is taught will convey to the faculty member and the student the Committee’s findings as to responsibility and recommended sanctions. Appeal of the Committee's decision may be made by written request to the Dean of the school or college of the course not later than ten days following notification. The decision of the Dean will be final.

Summary of Process

Step 1: The faculty member is encouraged to discuss the matter with the student.

Step 2: The faculty member should notify the student of the substance of the violation and the action that the faculty member proposes to take.

Step 3: If the faculty member decides to impose a grading penalty, a letter of notification describing the incident, the evidence supporting the allegation, and the proposed grading penalty is to be sent to the Associate Dean of the school or college in which the course is taught.

Step 4: The Undergraduate Academic Integrity Committee will notify the student, who will be given an opportunity to respond to the allegation in writing (within 5 business days).

Step 5: The case will be reviewed by the University-Wide Undergraduate Committee on Academic Integrity.

Step 6: The Associate Dean of the school in which the course is taught will convey to the faculty member and the student the Committee’s findings as to responsibility and recommended sanctions.

Step 7: Appeal of the Committee's decision may be made by written request to the Dean of the school or college of the course not later than ten days following notification. The decision of the Dean will be final.