Ensuring Safe and Responsible Use of AI on Campus
As artificial intelligence (AI) tools become more integrated into higher education, UMB is committed to enabling innovation while safeguarding University data, systems, and community. To support responsible innovation and ensure alignment with the UMB AI Governance Policy, an AI Application Review Process is being implemented to evaluate and approve AI-powered tools before they are used for academic, research, or administrative functions.
AI applications often process sensitive data and operate on platforms outside the University secure environment. Use of unauthorized or unvetted AI tools can put institutional data at risk, violate privacy laws (e.g., FERPA, HIPAA), and conflict with our security or accessibility policies.
What You Need to Know
- AI tools must be reviewed and approved before use on university devices, networks, or with university data.
- We follow Microsoft Cloud App Security (MCAS) risk scores. Any application scoring below 7/10 is considered high risk and subject to further review.
- Use of AI tools that process personal, research, or sensitive data requires a higher level of scrutiny.
- Click-through agreements (even for free apps) are not considered authorized use and may introduce institutional risk.
If you wish to use a new AI or LLM-powered application:
- Complete the AI Tool Request Form
- Your request will be reviewed by the CITS Security, Compliance and Privacy group, and school/department stakeholders as needed.
- You will receive a decision, and if approved, the tool will be added to the University Approved AI Registry.
Use of unapproved AI applications
UMB has monitoring tools in place to help identify the AI tools and services being used within the University environment. If the use of an unapproved tool is identified, IT Security & Compliance will send notification and provide guidance and, if needed, ensure corrective steps are taken.
If you are currently using or considering an AI tool in your work or studies, please verify that it has been reviewed and approved through the appropriate channels. If you are unsure whether a tool is authorized, or would like to submit one for review, you can email the Information Security Office at CITS Security & Compliance
Additional information
For guidance or support in choosing secure AI applications, please see the following links
UMB Data Classification Policy
Our goal is to encourage innovation while maintaining trust, privacy, and security our campus community depends on.