Butte College's Editorially Independent Student Voice

THE ROADRUNNER

THE ROADRUNNER
Butte College's Editorially Independent Student Voice

THE ROADRUNNER

AI Policy

Ethical Responsibility

While individual students make ethical decisions regarding their work as students, journalists are accountable to the publication they serve. Work in the production classes are public. If student journalists submit work they did not submit, they are damaging the integrity of the publication and the reputation of everyone who works for this publication. Journalists are obligated to uphold the journalism code of ethics to protect themselves, their publication, and the integrity of the entire profession.
As such, the AI Policy and Guidance is updated every semester.

AI Policy Guidance

Butte College Journalism Department
Last updated: July 2025

Butte College offers an educational program. Students participate in order to learn the basics of news writing and production, including practical experience in design/layout, visual, online, multimedia journalism, and emerging technologies.

One emerging technology is AI tools.

Definitions

Generative artificial intelligence is the use of large language models to create something new, such as text, images, graphics and interactive media. These terms will be referenced throughout this policy: 

Generative AI:

    • AI that creates new content such as text, images, or media by interpreting and generating based on input data.

Large Language Models (LLMs):

    • AI systems trained on vast datasets of text to understand and generate human-like language.

AI Prompt:

    • Specific input or instruction provided to an AI tool to generate a desired output.

Hallucination:

    • AI-generated information or responses that are fabricated, inaccurate, or not grounded in fact.

Training Data:

    Textual datasets — including articles, research papers, and social media posts — used to teach AI models.

Ethical Considerations

Although generative AI has the potential to improve newsgathering, it also has the potential to harm journalists’ credibility and our unique relationship with our audience. 

As we proceed, the following five core values will guide our work. These principles apply explicitly to the newsroom and throughout other non-news departments including advertising, events, marketing and development. 

Core Values

  • Transparency: our student journalists clearly disclose AI tool usage in journalism.
  • Accuracy and Human Oversight: our student journalists verify all AI-generated content.
  • Accountability: our student journalists assume full responsibility and correct errors.
  • Exploration: our journalism program supports ethical experimentation and training.

Acceptable Uses of AI Tools

Research

  • AI tools may locate sources, but content must be personally verified and cited.
  • AI may assist in spotting claims or trends via social media.

Transcription

  • Tools like Otter.ai can be used with verification against recordings.

Translation

  • AI tools may translate research materials and student submissions.

Headlines and SEO

  • Generative AI may assist headline development with accuracy-promoting prompts.

Visual Guidelines

Accuracy Over Aesthetics

  • Image enhancements must reflect reality; refer to AP guidelines.
  • Internal disclosure and review required for edited visuals.

AI-Generated Images

Spring 2025 Policy: AI-generated images are not permitted.

Visual Ethics

  • Human-generated visuals preferred when possible.
  • AI visuals may be used only when critical and unobtainable otherwise.

Copy Editing Guidance

As a small production team, we do not have an editorial team so each writer is responsible for publishable content that adheres to Associated Press conventions and uses content-appropriate grammar and punctuation.  

As such, journalists may use the following prompt provided that the original and results of prompt are stored and available to advisor and/or editor as needed: 

See prompt here.