AI-Aware Student Recommendations for GenAI in Higher Ed

Abstract

What do well-informed students say about the use and integration of AI in their college educations? In Spring and Summer 2026 semesters, students in three sections of ENG 102 at UNR wrote AI-aware white papers with policy recommendations for the integration of genAI into higher education. To develop white paper policies, students read a variety of scholarly, public, and popular sources that show a variety of perspectives on Generative AI and LLMs, including the environmental and cognitive impacts. Then they considered the values and concerns of their audiences—peers, professors, and/or university administrators—to propose “sensible, well-informed, and well-reasoned” policies. This session will discuss their recommendations, insights, and the somewhat surprising classroom experience of teaching sustained, critical enquiry about Generative AI.