New SUNY requirements to focus on civic skills and AI ethics

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The State University of New York (SUNY) system is set to introduce new general education requirements for its students.

These updates will add a civic discourse component to the core competencies of the general education curriculum.

According to SUNY, this new requirement aims to ensure that “students gain the skills necessary to participate in civic life and engage in healthy dialogues in order to secure the future of our democracy.”

“SUNY is committed to academic excellence, which includes a robust general education curriculum,” said SUNY Chancellor King. “We are proud that every SUNY student will be expected to demonstrate the knowledge and skills that advance respectful and reasoned discourse, and that we will help our students recognize and ethically use AI as they consider various information sources.”

Additionally, students will be required to learn how to recognize and ethically use artificial intelligence. The new requirements are expected to start in fall 2026.

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