• Section 1 - Purpose and Scope
• Purpose
• Scope
• Section 2 - Definitions
• Section 3 -  Policy Statement 
• Section 4 - Responsibilities
• Section 5 - Associated Information

Section 1 - Purpose and Scope

Purpose

(1) This Policy specifies the conditions for the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) at Southern Cross University.

Scope

(2) This Policy applies to all University staff, students, and associates, including any person engaged in University activities or acting on behalf of the University. 

Section 2 - Definitions

(3) For the purposes of this Policy, the following definitions apply:

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI): Computer systems that perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, or problem-solving.
2. Bias (in GenAI): Systematic errors or prejudices in the predictions of GenAI models that may impact fairness, representation, and diversity.
3. Generative AI (GenAI): AI models designed to generate new content, including text, images, audio, video and code.
4. Official: Sensitive Information: This information is for internal use but is restricted to staff who need it to perform their university duites. It includes information protected under federal or state legislation or by university contractual obligations and requires enhanced privacy and security protections. 
5. Privacy Acts means the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW) and Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW). Where applicable, Privacy Acts may include the Privacy Act 1998 (Cth), the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and China’s Personal Information Protection Law. 
6. Protected Information: This information must be kept strictly confidential and accessed only a ‘needs to know’ basis. It includes data that could affect national interests or security of information where accidental or malicious breach could reasonably be expected to cause serious harm to the University, third party of an individual if released publicly. 

Section 3 -  Policy Statement 

(4) The University is committed to the responsible and ethical use of emerging technologies. This Policy supports the use of GenAI tools to enhance learning, research, and operations, where academic standards, data protection requirements, and institutional values are upheld. 

(5) The University supports the use of GenAI where it does not pose an unacceptable risk to:

1. the assurances of academic standards and integrity, or
2. personal, sensitive or protected information, or intellectual property, being compromised.

(6) While the University acknowledges the significant opportunities GenAI presents for education, research and administration, it also acknowledges the associated risks which must be managed. 

1. accuracy and reliability of outputs generated by GenAI tools
2. ambiguity around intellectual property rights when content is created using GenAI tools
3. Personal, sensitive or protected information being divulged to third parties (as Gen AI providers may use uploaded content to train their models)
4. bias in content created using GenAI tools, reflecting bias inherent in the models themselves. 

(7) The University will review the GenAI Guidelines and Recommended Tools no less than every twelve months. 

Section 4 - Responsibilities

(8) Staff, students and associates are responsible for:

1. not entering information that is classified as Official: Sensitive into any GenAI tool unless that tool has been formally endorsed for such use within the GenAI Guidelines and Recommended Tools.
2. not entering information that is classified as Protected into any GenAI tool, whether online or offline. 
3. complying with the University’s Privacy Policy and applicable Privacy Acts. 
4. understanding that content created using GenAI may not carry the same intellectual property rights as content created by that individual. 
5. recognising that content created using GenAI may be inaccurate or misleading.
6. following all additional guidance relating to the use of GenAI contained in the GenAI Guidelines and Recommended Tools.

(9) Students are additionally responsible for:

1. acknowledging the use of GenAI to produce content for assessable work, in accordance with the Assessment Teaching and Learning Policy and the GenAI Tool Use Descriptors and Academic Integrity Guidelines. 

(10) Staff are additionally responsible for:

1. understanding the inherit bias in GenAI models and the content it generates, ensuring it does not adversely affect or influence course content, assessment and grading, and student support services.

(11) Researchers are additionally responsible for:

1. ensuring that any use of GenAI complies with the requirements of the Research Quality, Standards and Integrity Policy. 

Section 5 - Associated Information

(12) This Policy should be read in conjunction with: 

1. Information Asset Classification Policy
2. GenAI Guidelines and Recommended Tools 
3. Assessment, Teaching and Learning Policy
4. Academic Quality, Standards and Integrity Policy
5. Intellectual Property Rights Policy
6. Academic Integrity Guidelines 
7. GenAI Practice Guide: Signals of and how to assess unacceptable use of GenAI
8. Research Quality, Standards and Integrity Policy.