Notes from Council: New AI Literacy Framework

“Notes from Council” is The Gateway’s ongoing series of recaps of noteworthy items from Students’ Council meetings.

At the University of Alberta Students’ Union (UASU) Students’ Council meeting on October 6, executives discussed successes of the Peer Support Centre, continuing efforts to improve the Course Material Access Program (CMA), and a new memorandum of understanding for Indigenous voices.

Karsten Mundel, vice-provost (learning and digital integration), was also invited to present on a new artificial intelligence (AI) literacy framework. 

New AI Literacy Framework to clarify AI usage in classrooms

Mundel presented on how AI will look in classrooms moving forward. 

Specifically, he presented an AI Literacy Framework, which is planned to be discussed by the General Faculties Council (GFC.) The goal is to “build out a common language” of AI use and ensure students have AI skills.

Having conversations about where AI use is acceptable is also a factor. 

Mundel noted that each program uses AI differently. The goal is to teach students how to use AI effectively for their specific courses.

Currently, ethical boundaries regarding AI use are murky. The guide hopes to “define what ethical AI use looks like in different domains.”

Susan Huseynova, vice-president (academic), noted how even programs like medical laboratory sciences and immunology have different boundaries regarding where AI use is acceptable and appropriate. 

She highlighted that the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) offers AI support. Students can visit the centre if they are unsure whether they can use AI in a particular circumstance. The centre will not report students who use AI for coursework, but will merely educate and explain where AI usage is appropriate.

It teaches students how to use AI in ways that are responsible and in line with the specific course’s syllabus. The space is also for students who don’t want to use AI but are required to for their coursework.

The hope is that AI expectations will be presented to GFC and edited in the University Calendar.

“Students are guessing: can I use AI at all? How much is too much? Is this misconduct?” Huseynova said. “We want to have very clear expectations and standardized, easy to understand language.”

There’s also the element of students not wanting instructors to use AI detectors to check their writing.

Huseynova hopes that instructors will clarify how they use AI and allow students to opt out of AI checks on their work. This includes professors using platforms like GPTZero to see whether students are using AI or not.

However, instructors being transparent about their AI use is more of an expectation than a mandatory requirement.

Successes in diversifying the Peer Support Centre and expanding its reach

Regarding executive reports, Logan West, vice-president (finance), discussed a new social media strategy that was recently approved. According to the UASU Strategic Plan (2026–30), the social media strategy will help achieve goals of engaging with students to “create connection and trust.” 

Scones are also back at the Daily Grind, with new breakfast burritos available in limited quantities. The menu item may stay if there is high demand.

West reflected that one of her goals this year was to diversify the Peer Support Centre (PSC) services. She noted that PSC has tripled the number of in-person outreach events it will hold this year. Class talks at the beginning of the academic year have also reached over 4,000 students, according to West.

PSC has also been working with Student Success and Experience to make stronger connections with wellness services on campus.

New memorandum of understanding to highlight Indigenous voices

Paige Wall, vice-president (student life), commented on the importance of having Indigenous student voices within the UASU. Especially because the UASU has not had a Native studies councillor “for the last year and a half at least.” 

“We don’t have Indigenous voices here on council, and that needs to be represented in some way,” she said. 

She expressed worry about the poor attendance from the UASU at the last sharing circle. Specifically, from student councillors. Even though attendance is mandatory, many councillors and the Board of Governors representative did not attend.

“It’s not so much the mandatory requirement,” Joseph Sesek, UASU president, said. “It would help the dynamic of council and help us work together.”

Board of Governors (BoG) representative Amaan Khan said he has been doing active consultation with the Indigenous Students’ Union (ISU) and the Native Studies Students’ Association (NSSA). 

West said she drafted a memorandum of understanding that the ISU and NSSA signed. The memorandum will serve as a template as the UASU continues to collaborate on events with the ISU.

Problems with Course Material Access and efforts to improve

Huseynova acknowledged that the opt-out process for the Course Material Access Program (CMA) was poorly handled. Even the U of A admitted at the General Faculties Council (GFC) that the process was not what they expected.

For example, communication about CMA at Campus Saint-Jean (CSJ) was largely not in French. Many instructors also did not know how to add course materials to the CMA program, said CSJ councillor Sophia Sparks.

Additionally, many science students did not know how to go about acquiring online course materials.

Huseynova said she meets with the bookstore every two weeks to continue negotiating and working towards changes to CMA and its opt-out process.