As AI tools become part of everyday college work, faculty and staff need a quick way to decide what information is safe to use with them. This table sorts common types of college data against three kinds of AI tools: free public tools, personal paid accounts, and the district’s enterprise Gemini. That matters at a community college, where many employees, including part-time and adjunct faculty, handle student and personnel information protected by FERPA and privacy rules every day. The traffic-light format makes the safe choice clear at a glance, and one rule applies to every tool: never enter passwords, Social Security numbers or bank information into any AI tool.
| Type of data | Public AI (all free versions) | Paid AI (your personal account: ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) | Enterprise AI (Gemini login with FHDA account) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public information Published syllabi, marketing, open data |
Appropriate | Appropriate | Appropriate |
| Non-sensitive drafts Lesson ideas, emails with no personal data |
Caution | Appropriate | Appropriate |
| Unpublished research & grants Proprietary or pre-award material |
Do not use | Caution | Appropriate |
| Student records (FERPA) Grades, student IDs, accommodations |
Do not use | Do not use | Appropriate |
| HR & personnel data Evaluations, salaries, hiring files (PII not recommended) |
Do not use | Do not use | Appropriate |
| Credentials & personal IDs Passwords, SSNs, bank numbers |
Do not use | Do not use | Do not use |
Caution means check the tool's privacy and data settings first. Enterprise means an institution-approved tenant.
This information was part of the October 14, 2026 ETAC presentation by Ron Sha.