Microsoft Copilot Chat

Microsoft Copilot Chat is now available to all faculty, staff, and students at DeSales University as part of our Microsoft licensing agreement.

Microsoft Copilot Chat is an AI-powered assistant available through Microsoft 365 that helps faculty, staff, and students work more efficiently by answering questions, summarizing information, and supporting everyday tasks across university systems.

Who Has Access?

All users with a Microsoft license provided by DeSales—including student-use benefits—now have access to Copilot Chat at no additional cost

Data Protection by Default

Copilot Chat is designed with enterprise-grade security and compliance:

• Data is protected under Microsoft’s default tenant-level safeguards

• Chat interactions are not used to train public models

• Access is governed by Microsoft Single Sign On, ensuring secure authentication and role-based permissions 

How This Differs from Microsoft 365 Copilot?

While Copilot Chat is included with the Microsoft license, Microsoft 365 Copilot is a premium add-on license that enables AI-powered features directly within apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook 

Copilot Chat is a standalone experience accessible via:

• Microsoft 365 

• Teams

• Outlook (web, desktop, and mobile)

How to Access Copilot Chat

Copilot Chat is pinned by default in the navigation bar of Microsoft 365 apps for eligible users. If you don’t see it, make sure you are logged in with your DeSales credentials.

• Visit Microsoft Copilot Chat Management for setup guidance

• Contact the IT Helpdesk for support

Training Resources

• Training Courses - NOTE: Training sessions only available for permanent Faculty and Staff - (Registration is required - REGISTER HERE) registration is limited. Training sessions for students will be coming soon.

  •  Microsoft Copilot Chat Intro Session (Tuesday, August 26 and Thursday, August 28 at 3 PM and Friday, August 29 at 10 AM)

  • Microsoft Copilot Chat - Intro To Working With Data (Thursday, September 4 at 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM)

Explore these resources to get started:

• Copilot Chat Overview

• Copilot Chat FAQ

Guidance for Microsoft Copilot Chat

1. Acceptable Use

Copilot Chat is intended for:

• Academic research and writing support

• Administrative tasks and productivity enhancement

• IT troubleshooting and documentation assistance

2. Prohibited Use

Users must not:

• Share sensitive personal or institutional data in prompts

• Use Copilot Chat for non-university commercial purposes

• Attempt to bypass security or licensing restrictions

3. Privacy and Compliance

• All interactions are subject to university IT policies and Microsoft’s compliance framework.

• Users are responsible for ensuring that their use complies with FERPA, HIPAA, and other applicable regulations.

We look forward to helping the campus community move forward with AI and the rapid evolution of the technology.