AI Services for the College of ACES
Welcome to the ACES AI Hub at NMSU
Microsoft Copilot empowers our college by streamlining everyday tasks within the familiar Microsoft ecosystem. To help you maximize this tool, we have developed over 70 custom prompt templates tailored specifically for ACES, Agricultural Experiment Station (AES) research, Cooperative Extension Service (CES) outreach, and academic administration.
By utilizing these templates within our secure, enterprise-licensed environment, you can safely accelerate your workflows, draft communications, and analyze data while remaining fully compliant with NMSU data security standards.
Intro to AI: Revolutionize Your Reach
About AI, What It Is, Why It Matters, and How It Transforms Extension Work.
Nov 24, 2025
Prompt Like a Pro: Techniques for Better AI Outputs
Master the art of crafting effective prompts to get the best results from AI tools in your extension work.
April 15, 2026
AI Literacy Training
Build your foundation in AI, data security, and effective prompting by completing core modules.
Access ACES AI Learning ModulesCollege of ACES AI Acceptable Use Guidelines
Artificial Intelligence tools, including Microsoft Copilot, offer powerful capabilities to enhance research, academic programs, and extension outreach. To protect the integrity of our data and networks, all AI utilization within the College of ACES and the Cooperative Extension Service must adhere to NMSU’s foundational IT regulations.
NMSU ARP 15.71 (Acceptable Use of ICT Resources)
All AI processing is subject to standard acceptable use guidelines. Faculty, staff, and extension agents must ensure that proprietary research, internal communications, and protected data are never exposed to public, unsanctioned AI models.
Security Clarification: Commercial data protection is only active when you are utilizing NMSU’s officially licensed enterprise platform (Microsoft Copilot) via your MyNMSU credentials. Simply using your NMSU email address to register for unapproved, public AI platforms (such as the free versions of ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini) does not secure your data. Inputting university information into those public tools remains a security violation, regardless of the email address used to create the account.
NMSU ARP 15.75 (Network Disconnection)
The deployment of unauthorized AI applications, third-party web scrapers, or shadow-IT data pipelines that compromise network integrity is strictly prohibited. Systems or workflows failing to comply with these security standards will be subject to immediate remediation and potential loss of network privileges.
Software Procurement (PIT Form Required): If you need to download, purchase, or integrate any AI application, browser extension, or software beyond our approved enterprise Microsoft Copilot, you must first submit a PIT form. All third-party tools must undergo a formal IT security audit prior to installation, no exceptions.
Data Classification & Approved Tools
Before utilizing any AI tool, you must understand what data is permitted to be processed. Public AI models train on user inputs; entering protected data is a security breach and a violation of NMSU policy.
Approved Enterprise Tool: Microsoft Copilot
The official, approved AI platform for the College of ACES is Microsoft Copilot. You must sign in using your NMSU credentials. Doing so places you in an Enterprise Data Protection environment, ensuring your inputs and datasets are never used to train external models. Do not use personal ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc. accounts for university business.
Open Data
This tier includes information that is already available to the general public. Because there is no risk of exposing sensitive data, the guardrails are flexible.
- Published ACES materials & fact sheets
- Public event details and schedules
- General agricultural and scientific knowledge
- Open-source datasets
This tier contains NMSU intellectual property and internal communications. Putting this into free AI tools risks our data being absorbed and leaked by external AI models.
- Unpublished research and trial data
- Draft grant proposals
- Internal department memos and emails
- Meeting minutes and strategic planning
This tier includes highly sensitive, confidential, or legally protected information. Do not enter any of the information below into any AI system. Strict federal laws and university policies govern how this data is handled.
- Student records and grades (FERPA)
- Personally Identifiable Information (PII) of clients
- Health or medical information (HIPAA)
- Administrative passwords and network credentials
Our priority is securing university data, not penalizing staff. If you accidentally paste protected information (such as FERPA records, unpublished AES field data, or personally identifiable information) into a public, unapproved AI tool like the free version of ChatGPT, prompt reporting is critical.
What to do if a data spill occurs:
- Stop using the tool immediately. Do not enter any further information into the chat window.
- Do not delete the chat history. ACES IT may need the specific prompt details, URL, and timestamp to issue a formal data deletion request to the software vendor's legal team.
- Report the incident. Contact the ACES IT Help Desk right away so we can initiate containment protocols and protect the college.
Contact ACES IT Support
Report AI data security incidents directly to our team for immediate, confidential assistance.
Email aces_help@nmsu.edu or call (575) 646-3305Governance & IT Support
Adherence to university policy is required when utilizing artificial intelligence resources.
Official Policies
Need Assistance?
If you have questions regarding a specific AI tool, require an audit of a new software platform, or wish to submit a highly effective prompt to our library, please contact ACES IT.