Key Takeaways
- The EIU Student Senate is drafting a resolution that calls on the university to regulate how professors use artificial intelligence in curriculum, assignments, and grading.
- The resolution will be paired with a student‑led petition from the Sept. 23 AI Forum and can be co‑signed via a Google Form linked on the SGA Instagram story.
- Student Body President Mason Tegeler issued an executive opinion condemning the “total lack of regulation” that allows AI to be used for curriculum creation, grading, marketing, and other faculty functions.
- Tegeler urged students disturbed by the gap to use their voices and demand university action, praising the student mobilization at the AI Forum.
- A fall special election for appointed senators will run from Oct. 14 8 a.m. to Oct. 15 11:59 p.m., with intent‑to‑run and petitioning open Friday through Oct. 9 (requiring 50 signatures).
- Executive Vice President Sam Erwin outlined Operation EIU Votes tabling events in October, including voter‑registration drives and post‑registration workshops, culminating in a voter‑education panel on Oct. 7.
- Public comment will be accepted at the start of the next Senate meeting before the AI resolution is brought to the floor.
- The election results and swearing‑in of newly elected senators are scheduled for the Oct. 28 Senate meeting.
- For further information, journalists can contact Jason Coulombe at [email protected].
Student Senate’s AI Resolution Draft
During its Wednesday meeting, the EIU Student Senate began work on a resolution that would formally address the use of artificial intelligence by professors. Speaker Megan Fox explained that the draft, slated for presentation at the next meeting, will “call on the university to address the use of AI in curriculum, assignments and grading.” Fox noted that the resolution will be coupled with the petition generated by students at the AI Forum on Sept. 23, creating a unified push for institutional oversight. To broaden support, she encouraged senators and the wider campus community to cosign the initiative by completing a Google Form posted on the SGA Instagram story. Additionally, a dedicated slot for public comment will be opened at the start of the following meeting before the resolution is brought to the floor, ensuring that faculty, staff, and students have an opportunity to voice concerns or suggestions directly to the Senate.
Student Body President’s Executive Opinion
Mason Tegeler, the Student Body President, submitted an executive opinion that was read aloud by Secretary Alyson Oganovich during the session. In his statement, Tegeler warned, “This total lack of regulation has led to AI being used to create curriculum, assignments, to grade, create marketing and more,” highlighting the pervasive ways AI is already infiltrating faculty work without clear guidelines. He referenced the Sept. 23 AI panel, saying, “It is truly inspiring to see students organize and mobilize to make positive change,” and urged fellow students who are troubled by the regulatory void to “use your voice to demand action from the university.” Tegeler’s opinion serves both as a critique of the current policy gap and as a rallying call for continued student advocacy on AI governance.
Timeline for Fall Special Election
Tegeler also outlined the schedule for the fall special election, which will determine which appointed senators must transition to elected positions. The voting window will run from Oct. 14 at 8 a.m. through Oct. 15 at 11:59 p.m. Appointed senators are required to run for elected status after their first term, a rule that applies to those appointed this semester. Notably, there is no cap on the total number of elected senators nor on how many candidates an individual voter may support. The intent‑to‑run and petitioning period opens on Friday and remains open through Oct. 9, with each candidate needing to gather at least 50 signatures to qualify. Official results will be announced at the Senate meeting on Oct. 28, at which point the newly elected senators will be sworn in.
Operation EIU Votes Events
Executive Vice President Sam Erwin presented a detailed timeline for Operation EIU Votes, a series of voter‑engagement initiatives slated for October. The first tabling event, focused on voter registration, took place Thursday at the Doudna Fine Arts Center overhang from noon to 2 p.m. Subsequent tabling sessions, aimed at informing students about steps to take after registration, will occur in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union Food Court from noon to 2 p.m. on Oct. 5, 6, and 9. The final event highlighted at the meeting will be a voter‑education panel titled “How Elections Impact College Students,” scheduled for the Effingham Room of the union on Oct. 7 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Erwin emphasized that these activities are designed to boost civic participation among the student body and to ensure that students are well‑informed about the electoral process.
Student Engagement and Outreach
Beyond the formal resolutions and election logistics, the Senate meeting underscored a broader effort to involve the campus community in decision‑making processes. Fox’s invitation to cosign the AI resolution via a Google Form on the SGA Instagram story exemplifies how the Senate is leveraging social media to gather signatures quickly and transparently. The provision for public comment at the start of the next meeting further demonstrates a commitment to open dialogue, allowing anyone—faculty, staff, or students—to speak directly to the Senate before the AI resolution is debated. These outreach mechanisms aim to ensure that the final policy reflects a wide spectrum of perspectives rather than a narrowly drawn viewpoint.
Implications for Faculty and Staff
Tegeler’s executive opinion drew attention to the fact that the current regulatory vacuum affects not only students but also faculty and staff members who may be employing AI tools for tasks ranging from curriculum design to grading and even marketing materials. By pointing out that AI is being used “to create curriculum, assignments, to grade, create marketing and more,” the opinion highlights potential risks such as uneven academic standards, questions about intellectual property, and the erosion of human oversight in evaluative processes. The call for university‑wide regulation seeks to establish clear boundaries that protect academic integrity while still allowing innovative uses of AI where appropriate.
Future Steps and Next Meeting
Looking ahead, the Senate’s next meeting will serve as a pivotal moment for the AI resolution. After the public comment period, the draft will be brought to the floor for debate, amendment, and eventual voting. If passed, the resolution will likely prompt the university administration to form a working group or task force charged with drafting concrete AI‑use policies for faculty. Simultaneously, the fall special election process will continue, with candidates gathering signatures and preparing campaign materials ahead of the Oct. 14‑15 voting window. The outcomes of both initiatives—the AI policy and the election—will shape the governance landscape at EIU for the coming academic year.
Contact Information
For journalists seeking further details or clarification on any of the points discussed, Jason Coulombe can be reached at [email protected]. His contact information is provided to facilitate accurate reporting and to ensure that the public receives timely updates on student government activities at Eastern Illinois University.