Alumni

This year, students are spending less time with devices open on their desks and more time engaging in timeless approaches to learning. Chromebooks remain important tools for research, collaboration, as digital resources, and other appropriate activities. At the same time, teachers are increasingly asking students to take notes by hand, work through problems with pencil and paper, and complete assessments without the assistance or distraction of a device. These practices encourage students to slow down, think deeply, and engage more directly with teachers, classmates, and course material. These are also more likely to lead to long-term learning.

Our approach to artificial intelligence reflects the same philosophy. Notre Dame recognizes AI as a transformative tool, but one that should support rather than replace the human capacities we seek to develop in every Notre Dame graduate. Our new AI policy establishes five levels of responsible use, ranging from assignments where AI is prohibited to those where it may be used fully with appropriate human oversight. This policy reflects situations that they will encounter in their later lives and is an attempt to teach our students the appropriate use of technology while putting strict boundaries around its use in their current learning.

Ultimately, our responsibility is larger than teaching students how to use the newest technology. As Holy Cross educators, we are forming young people who can think independently, exercise good judgment, act with integrity, and understand when technology serves human growth and when it is better to put the screen away.