Student Demands Refund After Professor’s ChatGPT Use

A Northeastern University student is making waves after requesting a tuition refund upon discovering her professor was utilizing AI tools like ChatGPT to generate lecture notes. This incident underscores the growing unease among students regarding the integration of AI in academic settings.

AI in the Classroom: A Growing Controversy

Ella Stapleton, a recent graduate, grew suspicious of her professor’s notes, citing inconsistencies such as a “ChatGPT” citation in the bibliography, recurring typos characteristic of AI outputs, and bizarre image anomalies. Feeling that her professor was contradicting the very warnings he gave students about using AI, she filed a formal complaint with the business school.

Stapleton’s complaint focused on the undisclosed use of AI and broader concerns about the professor’s teaching methods. She sought a refund of just over $8,000 for the course.

University Response and Professor’s Admission

Northeastern University ultimately denied Stapleton’s claim. However, the professor, Rick Arrowood, admitted to using ChatGPT, Perplexity AI, and Gamma (an AI presentation generator) in preparing course materials. Arrowood expressed regret, stating that he should have been more transparent about his use of AI. He emphasized the need for educators to carefully consider the implications of AI integration and maintain open communication with students.

Renata Nyul, Vice President for Communications at Northeastern University, stated that the university “embraces the use of artificial intelligence to enhance all aspects of its teaching, research, and operations,” and provides resources to support its appropriate use.

A Shift in Perspective: From Cheating Concerns to AI Skepticism

Initially, concerns surrounding AI in education centered on students using tools like ChatGPT to cheat. Now, the focus has shifted to the potential overuse or misuse of AI by educators themselves. Students argue that relying on AI undermines the value of human expertise they expect from their tuition fees.

Northeastern’s AI policy mandates proper attribution when using AI-generated content. It also requires users to verify the accuracy and appropriateness of AI outputs.

Have you experienced AI use in your college courses? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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• AI’s Role in Higher Education: A Student Perspective
• The Ethics of AI in Teaching: A Professor’s Dilemma
• ChatGPT and the Future of Learning

Source: Beatrice Nolan, Fortune.com