The sudden proliferation of Large Language Models across American campuses has outpaced the development of robust institutional frameworks, creating a volatile educational environment. Schrag and Short (2025) identify significant potential for computational linguistics to enhance secondary literacy education, yet the actual deployment of these tools often occurs without sufficient pedagogical oversight. Basch and Hillyer (2025) report high levels of AI usage among college students for coursework, with adoption remaining largely informal and decentralized. Such a disconnect between student practice and faculty guidance exposes a critical vulnerability in the American credit-hour system. The core challenge lies in reconciling the efficiency of generative tools with the necessity of cognitive struggle in the learning process. If AI handles the foundational synthesis of information, students may bypass the very mental exercises required to develop critical thinking. Meng and Luo (2024) obs