University at Buffalo (UB)
The State University
of New York
The Graduate School
Go to External Website  Link to The Graduate School external facing website.

Facilitation Guide: Developing Graduate Program AI Policy

This resource is offered as a logical guide for department leadership to use to facilitate a structured process to meet the Graduate School’s new AI policy for culminating graduate work requirement,  while honoring disciplinary norms and academic integrity.

Phase 1: Context and Mandate

Objective

Ensure all committee (department faculty) members are operating from the same baseline of institutional requirements.

  • Review the Mandate: Distribute the Graduate School Memorandum.
  • Discussion Points:
    • Which specific degrees (MA, MS, PhD) and culminating experiences (Dissertation, Thesis, Project, Exam) are we addressing?
    • What are the "non-negotiables" from the university level?

Phase 2: Disciplinary Discovery (The "What")

Objective

Surface how AI actually touches your specific field. Use these prompts to spark discussion before drafting.

How does our discipline view GenAI? (Select all that apply):

  • AI as a Research Object: (e.g., studying the algorithm itself).
  • AI as a Tool: (e.g., data analysis, coding, literature mapping).
  • AI as a Writing Aid: (e.g., grammar checking, translation, drafting).
  • AI as High-Risk: (e.g., concerns regarding data privacy, bias, or clinical ethics).
  • Where does "assistance" cross the line into "loss of authorship"?
  • What are our specific tools, or standards in our field that students must use (or should be prohibited from using)?  Where is limited use allowed?

Phase 3: Policy Design Decisions (The "How")

Objective

Translate the discussion into a concrete framework.

Category Decision Point

Permitted

 

What uses are encouraged or allowed without specific disclosure?

Conditional

What uses require prior advisor approval or explicit citation?

Prohibited

What constitutes a violation of academic integrity in our context?

Disclosure

How exactly should students document AI use? (e.g., an "AI Methods" appendix).
  • Does our policy penalize students who cannot afford "Pro" versions of AI tools?
  • How does this policy support students using AI for disability accommodations or ESL/ELL support?

Phase 4: Drafting and Refinement

Objective

Move from "Agreement in Principle" to "Student-Facing Language."

Assign a sub-committee to turn the Phase 3 table into a narrative policy.

  • Tip: Use "Plain Language", avoid overly dense or legal jargon.

Compare the draft against:

  • Any professional accrediting body guidelines, or existing industry norms.
  • Any existing departmental ethics statements.

Present the draft to the full faculty for a "Red Team" session (looking for loopholes or gray areas).

Phase 5: Approval and Implementation

Final Sign-off:

Department/Program Chair approval.

Publication:

Add to Graduate Student Handbooks and program websites.

Communication:

Send a formal memo to all current graduate students and advisors explaining the rationale behind the new policy.

Custom Prompt: AI Chat as a Facilitator

This custom AI prompt guides graduate program committees through a structured process to interpret institutional requirements, discuss disciplinary considerations, and draft an AI use policy for dissertations, theses, and capstones.

Download the AI Prompt Resource