AI Use Policies

Motion 1 — Recommendation: Supervisor–Supervisee Dialogue on AI Use in Graduate Work

Policy anchor: SFU Learning & Teaching with AI Guidelines, Principle 5 (Transparency); Principle 7 (Disciplinary Contexts); Graduate Students & AI Guidelines

The SIAT Graduate Program Committee recommends that graduate supervisors and their students have an open conversation about the use of AI tools in graduate work, including in research activities and the preparation of program milestones.

This conversation is encouraged to take place early in the relationship and to be revisited as the student’s work progresses. SFU’s current guidelines for AI use in graduate research offer a helpful starting point for this discussion.

Motion 2 — Required Policy: AI Transparency Statements in Graduate Milestones

Policy anchor: SFU Learning & Teaching with AI Guidelines, Principle 5 (Transparency); Graduate Students & AI Guidelines

The SIAT Graduate Program Committee requires all graduate students to include an AI transparency statement in each of the following program milestones: Annotated Bibliography, Comprehensive Examinations, Thesis Proposal, Thesis/Project Report, and Thesis/Dissertation.

The transparency statement must:

• be developed in consultation with the student’s graduate supervisor prior to submission;
• receive the supervisor’s approval before the milestone is submitted; and
• be guided by SFU’s current guidelines for AI use in graduate research, as published and updated by the university.

Motion 3 — Required Policy: AI Use Statements in Graduate Course Syllabi

Policy anchor: SFU Learning & Teaching with AI Guidelines, Principle 5 (Transparency); Teaching & AI Guidelines

The SIAT Graduate Program Committee requires that all SIAT graduate courses include a clear statement about AI use in the course syllabus.

This statement must:

• describe the instructor’s expectations for how AI tools may or may not be used in the course; and
• be included in the syllabus distributed to students at the start of the course.Where possible, instructors are also encouraged to provide AI guidance at the assignment level, indicating whether or which specific AI uses are permitted, restricted, or prohibited for each assessment, and whether disclosure or citation of AI use is required.