Student Senate asks university to regulate use of AI by faculty

Student Senate asks university to regulate use of AI by faculty Categories: News Student Senate asks university to regulate use of AI by faculty Jason Coulombe, Assistant News Editor • October 11, 2026 Jason Coulombe Speaker of the Student Senate Megan Fox reads aloud public comments submitted online during the senate meeting Wednesday at the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. The Eastern Illinois University Student Senate unanimously passed a resolution calling for the administration to regulate faculty’s use of artificial intelligence at its meeting Wednesday. The resolution cited recent student concerns about the use of AI by faculty in the classroom. It specifically mentioned a petition whose online version has 512 signatures. Speaker of the Senate Megan Fox said she would send the resolution to upper administration. “I am calling specifically upon President Gatrell and Provost Farley to create either an IGP or some sort of policy that regulates what professors can and cannot use AI for as a baseline across campus,” she said. Earlier on Wednesday morning, Gatrell sent the campus an email pertaining to AI. Topics in the email included AI’s potential impact on student learning, the use of AI in marketing materials and the development of an internal governing policy regarding privacy of student and staff data. “AI is a powerful tool that has the potential to enhance the student experience by supporting our work in the classroom, enhancing learning and accelerating creativity,” he wrote. Gatrell touched on university offices and university-affiliated organizations using AI for marketing, and he said a lot of the content that’s been generated is inconsistent with Eastern’s marketing guidelines. “AI content has produced inaccurate depictions of Old Main and other campus landmarks, generated non-existent buildings, unofficial and/or retired logos and typography that is not aligned with standards,” he wrote. Gatrell said maintaining a consistent brand image will help the university’s enrollment goals. “EIU’s consistent identity is more critical today than ever. The rise of “no-click” and “no-search” platforms are shaping the college choices of our future students as we speak,” he wrote. “They are also highly aware of AI-generated scams, spam, and misleading content, which means materials that appear artificial can unintentionally undermine credibility rather than strengthen it.” In the email, Gatrell said the university is working on an IGP that would specifically focus on data privacy in regard to AI use, and he said the IGP would be finalized very soon. “The new IGP focuses solely on data privacy and intentionally does not attempt to regulate curriculum, where academic freedom must be prioritized, and shared governance is essential,” he wrote. Student Body President Mason Tegeler said he reread the email during the meeting and saw the section on branding was longer than the section on learning. Tegeler said he agreed the use of AI flyers was bad but said it wasn’t the biggest issue. “The bigger issue is the total degradation of academic integrity at this university right now,” he said. In the email, Gatrell also said he wants faculty leaders and academic departments to create their own guidelines on AI usage. “This guidance will certainly vary across departments and programs and will likely change over time as new technologies emerge and professional societies develop more formal AI frameworks,” he wrote. Tegeler said this idea wouldn’t work because those who aren’t using AI would be the ones making the guidelines as opposed to those using AI. Fox said department-specific regulations put students in a bad spot due to the vast differences there would be. “There’s going to be students who suffer because their department is very pro-AI usage in the classroom and there’s going to be other students who don’t,” she said. “That’s not equitable.” The Daily Eastern News contacted Gatrell on Thursday to inquire about an interview, but he was unavailable. In an emailed response to The DEN, Gatrell said he expects varying perspectives on AI to surface. “Given the importance and centrality of academic freedom to our mission and the concept of shared governance, this discussion is very complex. Moreover, I earnestly believe it is essential that any guidance reflects the values and expectations of disciplines and professions. As such, I would fully expect that different disciplinary and professional perspectives on AI will emerge, and that’s fully consistent with academic freedom,” he wrote to The DEN in an email. Fox also said Gatrell’s campuswide email didn’t address student concerns. “I really do think that the email today was a slap in the face for what we’ve been advocating for several weeks now,” she said. “Nobody cares. That’s what it feels like.” Sophomore history major Elly Osborn, a cosponsor of the resolution, was the only in-person speaker during the senate’s public comment section. She said she didn’t plan to come until Gatrell’s email. “I felt that email came off as petty and inconsiderate and also felt like it silenced the voices of the 512 people who signed the AI petition,” she said. Gatrell said in an email to The DEN that he has had multiple conversations with members of student government in regard to AI in the classroom. Executive Vice President Sam Erwin, who is an English education major, said the use of AI in the education department changed his thoughts. “I was very proud of being an education major in 2023. I don’t know if I can say that now,” he said. Erwin brought up the English department and its anti-AI stance. “Often we hear that in the English department that we are miles ahead of the people in practicum and that’s because they have to experience the full front of AI within their departments,” he said. “It’s really upsetting because Eastern always promotes that we’re a teaching school.” Senator Taylor Ehret said AI’s impacts have been felt through a transition of many English assignments from digital mediums back to paper, which she said slows down the class and creates more work. “It just feels a bit antithetical to the writing process even though I understand why we have to do it,” she said. Student Vice President of Student Affairs Valarie Harmon said the use of AI isn’t good for any major. “It’s quite literally a disgrace to whatever major you are,” she said. “This should not be something we promote. We should promote critical thinking.” Jason Coulombe can be reached at [email protected]. View Story Comments 0 Like This Story Share on Facebook Share on X Email this Story Print this Story Leave a Comment Tags: artificial intelligence eiu administration student government More to Discover More in News Former Mattoon Police captain appointed interim chief of university police department Over 70 vendors attend Small Business Fest at Eastern Eastern’s fall enrollment decline sees similiarities, differences from statewide trends Career Services at Eastern celebrates new space with ribbon cutting Limited access to accessible entrances in Coleman Hall raises concerns  Charleston Fire Department Celebrates Fire Prevention Week at Linder Sports Complex About the Contributor Jason Coulombe, Assistant News Editor Jason Coulombe is a junior journalism major and can be reached at [email protected].