AI Guidelines for Marketing and Communications
These guidelines outline the basic rules for use of generative AI in all Cal ĢƵ marketing and communications, deliverables and activities produced by university offices and departments. These guidelines will continue to be updated and refined as new technology evolves.
Using AI at Cal ĢƵ
AI tools are transforming how we create content, and Cal ĢƵ is committed to using them honestly and responsibly. These guidelines will help you make sound decisions whenever AI tools are used to create content on behalf of the university, and avoid contributing to negative brand perceptions and creating inconsistent visual and editorial expressions of the Cal ĢƵ brand.
They apply to anyone creating content for Cal ĢƵ — including faculty, staff, student workers, community partners and vendors — and to all colleges, departments, programs and affiliated entities.
Content created with AI must meet the same brand, accuracy and style standards as any other Cal ĢƵ content.
Brand Identity
Cal ĢƵ's official logos and brand marks represent who we are as a university. These marks are carefully protected and cannot be recreated or modified using AI tools.
Do not use AI to:
- Recreate or alter the master brand logo, Athletic spirit mark or any official university logo
- Generate new or stylized versions of Cal ĢƵ's logos or brand marks
- Change the colors of official logos outside the approved brand colors
- Suggest Cal ĢƵ endorsement using AI-generated images with Cal ĢƵ logos
AI-generated or AI-assisted content must follow the same review and approval process
as all Cal ĢƵ materials. If AI is used in significant ways, it should be noted
when submitting the work for brand or compliance review.
For more information about university logos, refer to the Logo Guidelines. All Cal ĢƵ and specialized unit logos are available for download. For questions, email branding@callutheran.edu.
Colors, Typography and Visual Style
Cal ĢƵ's brand includes a color palette composed of our primary colors (heritage purples and golds), and secondary colors. Please refer to Cal ĢƵ’s official brand color guidelines for the complete color palette and corresponding color specifications. AI-generated visuals should follow these colors and match Cal ĢƵ’s overall look and feel.
Do not use AI tools to create text styles that copy or compete with Cal ĢƵ’s official fonts. Raleway is our primary typeface, and is a free, open-source font that AI tools may easily use.
If Raleway is unavailable in your software, environment, or system, you must use one of the following web-safe, cross-platform fallbacks. These ensure a consistent visual hierarchy across both Mac and PC platforms: Arial: Use as the primary universal substitute for body copy and digital applications. It is pre-installed on virtually all Windows and macOS devices. Helvetica: Use as the preferred substitute on macOS systems if Arial is not desired for design-heavy layouts. Calibri: Use as an acceptable secondary alternative for internal documents, spreadsheets, and presentations (e.g., Microsoft PowerPoint or Word).
Graphics and Media
At Cal ĢƵ, our visual storytelling reflects the real students, faculty, staff and surrounding community we serve. AI-generated visuals require careful human oversight to ensure they meet our standards for accuracy and respect.
Standards for AI-created visuals:
- Do not present AI-generated images as real photos of Cal ĢƵ students, faculty, staff, campus landmarks, or events
- Do not unnecessarily “over brand” the visual; for example, do use not use variations of the university name repetitively in generated visuals (CLU, Cal Lu, Cal ĢƵ)
- Do not alter attendance, participation or endorsement of specific university events or activities
- Do not use AI tools to alter or replace the identity or appearance of people or campus buildings and locations in photographs. This includes replacing, removing, adding, or significantly changing people, faces, architecture, or other recognizable features.
- Basic edits such as cropping, color correction, exposure, and minor cleanup are permitted.
- Carefully inspect any AI-generated content for inaccuracies before posting to internal and external channels
- Use photos found in our photo library available to all campus communicators:
When AI tools assist with photo editing, such as touch-ups, background removal or
enhancement, the final image must still reflect Cal ĢƵ’s standards for accurate
and respectful representation. AI can be used to adjust lighting, color, and other
similar photo adjustments. It can also be used to subtly extend parts of the background
to better fit a particular layout. But the content or subject of the photo should
not be significantly altered.
Campus photography is available via the Cal ĢƵ Photo Gallery on Photoshelter (requires logging in with Cal ĢƵ credentials).
Accessibility
AI can help generate alt-text, captions and transcriptions, but human review is always required. All AI-assisted accessibility content must be reviewed for accuracy, tone and contextual appropriateness before publication.
Accessibility review checklist:
- Review all AI-generated alt-text for accuracy and appropriate context
- Manually verify AI-generated video captions before publishing
- Ensure AI-assisted transcriptions reflect spoken content accurately, including speaker identification where relevant
Editorial Standards
AI-generated written content must be reviewed and edited to align with Cal ĢƵ's established voice, tone and editorial style before publication.
AI tools can help with drafting, summarizing, proofreading and brainstorming. However, they do not replace human judgment or responsibility. The department or individual who creates the content is responsible for what is published.
Editorial standards for AI-assisted content:
- Review content for accuracy, including statistics, rankings, program details and names
- Make sure the writing matches Cal ĢƵ’s voice and style guidelines
- Check all program details and official statements against trusted sources
- Do not publish AI-generated quotes from Cal ĢƵ leaders, faculty, students or other real people
- Do not use AI to create misleading, biased or harmful content
Full writing guidelines are available in the Cal ĢƵ Editorial Stylebook.
Ethics & Integrity
As a liberal arts university, the content we produce must be authentic and truthful. AI tools can be helpful, but they must always be used responsibly and ethically.
Cal ĢƵ communicators must never use AI to:
- Create misleading, biased, harmful or discriminatory content of any kind
- Generate content that misrepresents Cal ĢƵ's rankings, research, academic programs or institutional claims
- Fabricate quotes, testimonials or endorsements from real individuals
- Produce “deepfake” imagery, video or any content designed to deceive audiences about its origin
- Impersonate Cal ĢƵ officials, faculty or public figures in AI-generated content
- Generate content that would violate Cal ĢƵ's Non-Discrimination Policy or Title IX obligations
- Violate copyrights or trademarks owned by other brands by including 3rd party logos without permission
Brand Review Process
All branded content produced for external audiences, whether created with AI tools or through traditional workflows, is subject to brand review and approval. Strategic Brand Communications is responsible for stewarding Cal ĢƵ's brand across all platforms and channels.
Submit work for review when AI tools are used to:
- Generate primary visual assets like illustrations, composites, hero images or video intended for external publication
- Produce content for high-profile campaigns, institutional advertising or materials representing Cal ĢƵ to external audiences, regardless of the channel or platform
- Create content featuring or referencing Cal ĢƵ logos and brand marks
- Develop materials for external media placement, sponsorship activations or partner-facing communications
To request a review, email your materials to branding@callutheran.edu along with details about how the materials will be distributed and to which audiences.
Evolving Standards for AI
AI capabilities and best practices are changing rapidly. These guidelines represent Cal ĢƵ's current standards and will be updated as the landscape changes. Communicators are encouraged to stay current with developments in AI tools and to bring questions to the Office of Strategic Brand Communications.