Recently, the Omega asked ChatGPT if Canadian universities should have AI policies and received a response that was simultaneously surprising and completely expected.
“Yes, Canadian universities should definitely have AI policies in place. As AI continues to evolve and impact almost every sector, including education, it becomes crucial for universities to have frameworks and guidelines to ensure that AI is used responsibly, ethically, and effectively,” it said.
Students at TRU have had mixed experiences navigating the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in their coursework, primarily due to the university’s lack of clear, consistent guidelines. While some students understand their instructors’ expectations, others may feel confused or unintentionally misuse AI tools.
TRU is developing a university-wide framework for AI use, but it won’t be available until the fall, at the earliest. In the meantime, students are subject to a patchwork of instructor-specific expectations, which creates confusion and raises concerns about fairness and academic integrity.
Drashti Odedra, a third-year business student, says her grade dropped from an A+ to a C-minus after her professor accused her of using AI to complete a research paper — an allegation she denies.
“That was the worst experience I’ve had at TRU because I couldn’t even prove myself with anything at that time,” said Odedra, who offered to submit her research notes and redo the assignment. Her professor declined.
Jenna Goddard is the coordinator of TRU’s Writing Centre, who helps students strengthen their academic writing by offering one-on-one support, workshops and resources to develop their own voice. She says there are great resources and support available to students facing academic misconduct, provided by TRU’s learning strategists. While the university is working to raise awareness about these services, many students remain unaware.
“I know that there are some resources there, but I think that it needs to be consistent messaging, really visible and available,” Goddard said. “I think that faculty also need to get this education so that they’re also providing this consistent, clear messaging for students.”
Absent an official policy, TRU has taken steps to clarify its position on what legitimately constitutes as unethical AI use. According to TRU policy specialist Noah Arney, the university’s upcoming update to its Academic Integrity Policy will specify that unauthorized use of generative AI counts as fabrication. But no release date has been set.
Arney said there are no plans to impose a single AI policy across all departments. Instead, the university will provide guiding principles that each faculty can adapt.
“Different classes are going to have different expectations on the use of generative AI,” he said. “And part of that is because the learning may be enhanced by it, or the learning may be more difficult to achieve if AI is used.”
Odedra worries this approach won’t be strong enough, arguing that a policy would be much more effective. “If it becomes a policy, they have to look at that,” she said. “They can’t neglect it, just like attendance or plagiarism.”
Pedro Mori, a fourth-year journalism student, has faced accusations of AI use in two classes. He said professors cited vague writing and AI detector tools, which claimed his essays were completely AI-generated.
“It’s frustrating because you know you can’t do much,” Mori said. “Because I did so poorly on the first assignment, now that leads to worry of ‘how am I going to improve going forward?’”
Goddard believes students should be educated on their rights pertaining to AI use, pointing out that instructors cannot penalize students based solely on the results of AI or plagiarism detection tools, due to their high rate of false positives.
“You are not allowed to sanction a student based on the use of a plagiarism or AI checker because of the number of false positives that these generate,” she said. “Faculty members can use those tools, but not as a reason to give a zero or to sanction or to take away marks. And I really want students to know this, because you then can go to student services, get a case manager, and appeal that.”
Goddard said students can appeal unfair accusations through student services, but many aren’t aware that support is available. TRU’s learning strategists are available to help students build their writing skills or refer them to case managers for assistance.
Although official support exists, concerns about academic integrity continue to rise. TRU’s 2022-23 report noted 332 AI-related cases — down from 1,175 in 2019–20 — but 62 per cent of those recent violations were unintentional.
Most of these incidents occurred in first-year classes, where students may not yet understand academic standards. Without consistent messaging, Goddard said, students struggle to distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate use of AI.
Mahima Elahi, a second-year communications student, said she saw a classmate use AI during an exam.
“I wish he didn’t do it, and I wish I didn’t have to see him do it,” she said. “I didn’t want to be a snitch. So I just kept quiet.”
Elahi added, “It kills me. They make me want to become the bad guy. It’s just how the world has become — their only motive is to get it done and get a job.”
Kiya John, a third-year natural resource science student, said it’s frustrating to see other students break the rules and benefit from it.
“So many people are using it, and it aggravates me in a way because we’re not supposed to be using it,” John said. “I think it’s just cheating and not fair.”
Mori agrees. “The university needs to have a policy stating how far they’re permitting the use of AI,” he said. “And they also need to have proper standards for how to disclose AI use.”
Julia Hedge, interim learning strategist and member of the Academic Integrity Committee, stated that the current ambiguity places students in a difficult position. She advises students to clarify expectations with instructors, save their drafts, and avoid AI use when in doubt.
She also encourages students to use resources like the Writing Centre to build confidence and develop their voice. According to Goddard, many students use AI not out of laziness, but because they lack confidence in their own writing.
“It’s a fundamental flaw in our education system,” Goddard said. “When students are doing the writing process, they’re thinking critically… and using those resources to support their own voice and arguments.”
Goddard said instructors who encourage AI use also have a responsibility to teach students how to use it ethically.
“If instructors are encouraging students to use it in assignments, they need to ensure students know how to use it responsibly and appropriately.”
Elahi describes the current moment as a confusing in-between phase. “I’m trying to co-exist with this tool,” he says. “It’s kind of like that grey area before people start understanding it more.” In the meantime, until TRU finalizes its AI policy, students must navigate AI rules that vary by instructor.