CNU is proud to announce the introduction of Google's Gemini Chat to the tools available to faculty, staff, and students at Christopher Newport University. 

Gemini's Capabilities

Gemini can be described as an "AI assistant" designed to work alongside the other applications in the G-Suite for Education. CNU is currently providing the base version of Gemini, which provides access to Gemini Chat. Gemini Chat can be used to perform a wide variety of actions, including but not limited to: 

• Brainstorming and collecting information and ideas for research
• Summarizing longer resources such as books, essays, etc. 
• Drafting documents such as recommendation letters, grant proposals, lesson plans, or email replies
• Image generation for Google Slides presentations

However, it is important to note that the content Gemini generates is not guaranteed to be accurate. As a generative AI tool, it is subject to many of the same potential shortcomings of other AI, including its dependence on training data to generate responses. If asked a question that requires knowledge that is not included in its training data, Gemini may generate false results. We always recommend that prompts from Gemini be used critically and with human oversight and editing, and consider CNU's broader guidance on AI use on-campus. 

Accessing and Using Gemini Chat

You can access Gemini Chat at http://gemini.google.com/. When accessing the tool, ensure that you are logged in to your CNU account in order for Gemini to access the account data needed to be fully utilized based on your specific needs. You will be brought to the general chat space, with prompt suggestions and an input bar at the bottom of the screen. 

Type the desired prompt into the input field and press the Enter key. It is recommended that you make the prompt as detailed as possible in order to add specificity to the output Gemini Chat produces; broader or more vague prompts will result in broader outputs that may not fit your needs. Some tips to consider: 

• If you need to limit the size of the output text, include the desired maximum size or size range in your prompt.
  
  
• Include the type of output desired in the prompt. For example, if looking for an image, start the prompt with 'create an image'.  If looking to create a spreadsheet of data, start the prompt with 'create a spreadsheet'. 
  
  
• Consider adding tonal details to a prompt whenever relevant to the content of your output. For example, if using Gemini Chat to generate a draft of a recommendation letter, you may note that the output needs to be written in a professional, yet complimentary tone. 
  
  
• Use details to exclude undesired output types. For example, if using Gemini Chat to draft a potential quiz in your class, you can use your prompt to exclude specific question types or questions about specific content matter.
  
  

• Avoid including information in prompts that would violate FERPA regulations or CNU's privacy policies. This includes information such as the personally identifiable information of faculty, staff, or students, or any protected data like grades or medical records. 
  
  

Once Gemini Chat has generated an acceptable output, the output can then be copied, edited, and used in other applications. In the case of output types like spreadsheets, the results can also be exported directly into Sheets for editing and use. 

Gemini, Data Access, and Privacy 

Google's full policy regarding Gemini's access to personal data can be found here. In addition to data collection consistent with Google's Privacy Policy and Google Workspace data collection policy, Gemini Apps collect the following data:

• Conversations
• Location
• Feedback
• Usage information

When Gemini is being used as a mobile assistant, Google collects and processes additional information such as info from your devices and services, installed apps and app permissions, and the contents of your screen for context. However, CNU is currently limiting their purchase to Gemini Chat, which means the services that would collect and use such information are largely unused. 

When you use Gemini Extensions alongside other apps and services, your data is shared between them.  Learn about your data and extensions.

If you use Gemini Apps to interact with third-party services, Gemini Apps will process your data according to their own privacy policies.

However, Google has gone on record to say that the account data accessed by Gemini will not be used to train future AI models, and will not be reviewed by human beings in order to do the same. Google also provides additional privacy protections for school accounts as listed in their updated policies for Google Workspace. It is important to note that these protections are available specifically to school accounts associated with schools who have purchased a license. Using Google Gemini privately, or via a school account not associated with a school purchasing a license, is covered under the base Google Terms Of Service as an additional service. This is why we recommend checking that you are logged into your CNU account before accessing and using Gemini Chat. 

Additional Google Support

Due to Gemini being a Google tool, CNU does not provide direct support for any potential malfunctions. Such support and further documentation is provided by Google on the Gemini main page. To access it, open the sidebar using the hamburger icon on the top left of the page, and click Help at the bottom of the sidebar. The Help menu will provide access to a list of recent updates to Gemini, frequently asked questions, and a Help assistant that will recommend relevant documentation and provide options for reporting issues.