Dartmouth's provost warned us about AI cheating—but his own AI use cost him his job
Summary
- Dartmouth College provost Santiago Schnell resigned after an advisory committee found he failed to disclose significant AI use in an academic paper and an op-ed.
- An investigation revealed Schnell used Claude and OpenAI models for revising papers, debugging code, editing figures, and checking for AI-writing signatures.
- While Schnell maintained he used AI strictly as an editorial tool and discussion partner rather than a co-author, publishers required disclosure that he omitted.
- Dartmouth continues to promote AI adoption under President Sian Leah Beilock, emphasizing leadership transparency and disclosure standards amid evolving academic norms.
Why it matters
This incident highlights the growing friction and ambiguity surrounding AI disclosure policies in academia, demonstrating how institutional leaders face strict accountability for failing to disclose AI assistance even when used primarily as an editorial aid.