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AI for Work at MSU Denver
AI tools are increasingly part of everyday university work, supporting tasks such as drafting communications, summarizing information, planning projects, and exploring process improvements. Used thoughtfully, these tools can help reduce repetitive work, improve clarity, and create space for higher-value decision-making across administrative and operational roles.
This page provides practical guidance, training, and approved starting points to help employees experiment with AI responsibly. It emphasizes efficiency, accuracy, privacy, and sound human judgment, offering direction on how to use AI in ways that align with university expectations while protecting data and maintaining accountability.
AI Empowerment in Higher Education
This asynchronous Canvas course helps MSU Denver employees build confidence and judgment around generative AI. It provides a shared foundation and role-relevant examples for everyday work.
Access the CourseLow-Stakes, High-Value Uses
AI is most useful when it supports drafting, summarizing, planning, and generating options you can refine. It is least useful when it is treated as an authority or used with sensitive information.
Practical Prompting
A reliable structure for work prompts:
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Goal: What you need and why
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Audience: Who it is for
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Context: Relevant background
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Constraints: Format, length, tone, required elements
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Verification: Ask for assumptions and what needs confirmation
Common high-value uses (with sample prompts):
Sample prompt: Draft a concise email announcing [topic] to [audience]. Use a professional, plain-language tone. Include key dates and next steps as bullet points. Flag any assumptions or missing details I should confirm.
Sample prompt: Summarize the text below for a busy administrator. Provide:
- key decisions
- main takeaways
- open questions
- recommended next steps.
Identify any areas that may require verification.
[Paste text]
Sample prompt: Help me plan a project timeline for [project]. Create a high-level sequence of milestones, identify key stakeholders, and suggest communication points for each phase. Note risks or dependencies I should consider.
Sample prompt: Create a practical checklist for completing [task or process]. Organize it by preparation, execution, and follow-up. Keep the language clear and usable for staff who are new to this process.
Sample prompt: Generate three alternative approaches to improving [process or workflow]. For each option, outline potential benefits, tradeoffs, and implementation considerations. Highlight questions I should answer before choosing an approach.
Using AI Responsibly in Your Work
AI can increase speed, but it does not remove responsibility. Before you use AI for work, confirm that your inputs are appropriate and that you will verify outputs.
Do:
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Use AI as drafting support, then review and revise with your judgment
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Verify facts, citations, and claims before sharing or acting on outputs
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Share only the information needed to complete the task
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Remove names, identifiers, or sensitive details when possible
Do not:
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Enter student records, employee data, health information, or other protected information into unapproved tools
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Use AI as the sole basis for high-stakes decisions (employment, discipline, grades, legal/financial determinations)
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Treat AI output as authoritative without independent verification
For deeper guidance on privacy, fairness, and responsible use, visit the Ethical and Responsible AI Use page.
Automating Work Tasks
If you regularly perform repeatable tasks, automation can save time and reduce errors. At MSU Denver, automation efforts often align with Microsoft’s ecosystem (Power Automate and the Power Platform). Start small: pick one routine process and automate a single step.
Good candidates for automation:
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Approval routing (simple approvals and status tracking)
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Notifications and reminders (deadlines, follow-ups, handoffs)
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Moving information between systems (forms to lists, lists to email)
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Standard reporting refresh and distribution
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Intake workflows (requests, triage, assignment)
Interested in Going Further?
If you would like to explore automation in more depth, these LinkedIn Learning courses offer guided, role-relevant training using tools available at MSU Denver.
Microsoft Power Automate Essential Training
This course introduces Power Automate as a practical tool for automating routine tasks and workflows across Microsoft applications. It focuses on building simple, no-code automations that can reduce manual work, streamline approvals, and improve consistency in everyday administrative processes.
Microsoft Power Platform Foundations
This course provides a high-level overview of the Power Platform ecosystem, including Power Automate, Power Apps, and Power BI. It is designed to help learners understand how these tools work together to support data-driven workflows, automation, and low-code solutions across organizational contexts.
Complete Guide to Microsoft 365 for Administrators
This course explores how Microsoft 365 tools can support productivity, communication, and information management. It emphasizes practical, low-risk ways to use AI-enhanced features within familiar applications while maintaining accuracy, privacy, and human oversight.
Microsoft Copilot at MSU Denver
For many employees, Microsoft Copilot is the most appropriate starting point for AI use in university work, particularly because it is designed for organizational use when accessed through MSU Denver credentials and approved environments. Use the ITS Copilot guidance and access instructions.
You can learn more about Copilot here.
Need help or want to propose a new tool?
If you have questions about AI tools, data handling, or introducing a new AI-enabled product for university work, review the steps here.