AI Policy for Rhodes College Staff and Faculty

Updated November 2026

Scope 

This policy governs AI use for administrative and operational work. Teaching, scholarly activity, and coursework are governed separately by the AI Policy and Guidelines for Rhodes College for Teaching and Learning [link]. Faculty are covered by this policy only when acting in an administrative capacity; academic freedom in teaching and scholarly activity remains a primary commitment. 

Employees are not required to use AI unless its use is a specific job requirement. If AI use is required, Rhodes will clearly communicate the requirement and provide appropriate training and support. 

The College's data classification policy governs how institutional data may be used with AI and applies everywhere, in administrative work, teaching, and scholarly activity alike, regardless of which policy otherwise governs the activity. 

Existing College policies (information security, data governance, employee conduct) and applicable law continue to apply. If more than one policy applies, follow the more restrictive requirement. 

Data Rules 

AI use must follow the College's data classification policy: 

Level Definition AI tool use Examples 
Restricted Highest sensitivity; unauthorized disclosure could violate law or cause significant harm Never permitted in any AI tool SSNs, health records, financial/banking information, Title IX records 
Confidential Sensitive; requires data steward approval to access College-approved AI tools only Rhodes ID, academic records, employee performance records, contracts, donor giving history 
Internal College business use only; not for public release College-approved AI tools only Internal directories, department budgets, meeting minutes 
Public Approved for open distribution; no harm from disclosure Any AI tool Website content, press releases, course catalog 

 

See the College's data classification policy for full details. 

Ethical Use 

  • AI must be used in ways that respect the dignity and rights of the people it affects. Do not use AI in ways that enable discrimination or harm. 
  • Review AI outputs for bias, particularly in decisions that affect people. If bias is found, correct it or stop using the tool for that purpose. 
  • Do not use AI to impersonate a real person or create an unauthorized realistic depiction of someone's identity, voice, image, or likeness. 

Accessibility 

AI-enabled tools and the content they produce must be accessible to people with disabilities. 

Intellectual Property 

Respect copyright laws and licensing agreements when using AI tools or AI-generated content. Do not input copyrighted material into AI tools beyond what applicable licenses permit. 

Human Judgment and Accountability 

  • AI does not replace human judgment. AI output must not serve as the sole basis for institutional decisions. 
  • Individuals are fully accountable for content they produce with AI assistance, as they would be for any other work product. 
  • AI-generated content must be reviewed before use in official communications, records, or decisions. 

Approved Tools 

Employees must use a College-approved AI tool for administrative and operational work when working with data that are not public. Disabling a tool's model training or data-retention settings does not make it College-approved. Tools that can access other systems, move data, or take actions on your behalf require review before use. The AI Governance Committee maintains the list of approved AI tools. Submit the AI Tool Information and Request Form to request an additional tool or recommend one for institutional adoption. The College may restrict or suspend a tool found to pose unacceptable risk. 

Monitoring 

Information Services and other authorized offices may review AI tool activity to ensure compliance with this policy. Interactions with AI tools are not private. Report concerns about AI use to Information Services. If you accidentally enter sensitive information into an unapproved tool, report it to help@rhodes.edu right away. 

Compliance 

Individuals are responsible for complying with this policy. Noncompliance may result in review by the appropriate administrative unit and corrective or disciplinary action under existing employment or faculty governance processes. Exceptions require approval from the appropriate Data Steward, Data Trustee, and the Risk Officer; no one may approve their own exception. 

Questions 

Submit the AI Tool Information and Request Form or contact Information Services at 901-843-3745 or help@rhodes.edu. 

This policy is reviewed at least annually.