As generative AI has gained prominence since late 2022, faculty at Cornell University have raised concerns about its influence on assessment, critical thinking, and creativity in educational settings. To address these challenges, members of the Provost”s Working Group on Innovation in Assessment (PWGIA) will host an event titled “Academic Integrity and Artificial Intelligence: Strategies for Responding.” This event is scheduled for November 12, from 2:00 PM to 3:15 PM in Room G64 of the Kaufman Auditorium at Goldwin Smith Hall.
Rob Vanderlan, executive director of the Center for Teaching Innovation (CTI), noted, “We”ve heard from many faculty that AI has challenged them to rethink their assignments. We can all benefit from thoughtful ideas for assignment design that tap into students” motivation to learn, and that incentivize students to do the hard work that meaningful learning entails.”
The keynote address, “AI and Academic Integrity,” will be delivered by M. Elizabeth Karns, a provost fellow and senior lecturer in statistics and data science at the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science. She will provide guidelines and practical advice aimed at both faculty and students.
A panel discussion following the keynote will delve into the theme of student ownership and responsibility in learning. Participants will include Tim Riley, a professor of mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences and director of the Active Learning Initiative, as well as Kate Navickas, a senior lecturer at the John S. Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines and director of the Cornell Writing Centers.
Both the keynote and panel will feature Q&A sessions. As a provost fellow, Karns has crafted recommendations to assist faculty in conveying their expectations regarding generative AI to students, as well as strategies for addressing potential academic integrity violations. Additionally, she has developed a Canvas Course module designed to help students reflect on their personal values and clarify what they hope to achieve from their courses.
Riley and Navickas will share insights from their teaching experiences, illustrating how they have cultivated cultures of ownership and accountability within their courses. Riley will describe his revised assessment methods in the Introduction to Analysis course, which now includes a homework portfolio and quizzes that students can retake to improve their scores. Navickas will explain her use of a labor-based grading contract in her First Year Writing seminar, which credits students for their effort and improvement rather than solely evaluating the final product. She will also discuss how she integrates scaffolding and student reflections throughout the semester to encourage deeper engagement with the writing process.
Other topics may include formal and informal policies regarding generative AI and academic integrity in courses, as well as how students have responded to the presenters” assessment strategies and grading approaches. This event builds upon the ongoing efforts of the PWGIA, which focuses on developing authentic forms of assessment and recently welcomed ten new faculty members into its 2025-2026 cohort of faculty fellows. The PWGIA has also published recent case studies showcasing innovative assessment methodologies implemented in Cornell courses over the past year.
“Academic Integrity and Artificial Intelligence: Strategies for Responding” is open to all Cornell faculty and graduate students.
