Higher‑education leaders are under pressure to move beyond piecemeal AI policies; Purdue University released a campuswide strategy to make students ‘‘AI competent’’ by graduation and integrate generative AI into pedagogy, officials said. Critics and advocates agree the absence of coherent institutional policy is the bigger risk—policies that only target plagiarism or vary by department leave students and faculty confused. Experts recommend institutions adopt a systems approach: define learning goals, create faculty development, set responsible-use norms, and align assessment and integrity frameworks. Without campuswide clarity, students will encounter inconsistent expectations across courses and faculty will contend with enforcement burdens rather than pedagogical innovation. University leadership teams should convene provosts, registrars and faculty governance to craft operational guidance that pairs permissive use cases with clear assessment strategies and faculty support. Early adopters that publish frameworks can reduce litigation risk and streamline student success efforts.