This study presents findings from semi-structured interviews with 13 undergraduate students across various years and majors, exploring their perceptions of evaluating higher education and exposure to Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). The study finds that students appreciate authentic evaluations—activities that are most closely embedded in real-world contexts and foster higher-order skills, such as problem-solving and critical thinking. The findings indicate that GenAI use is not just a matter of academic fraud but is also directly related to test design. Low-level, routine tasks are apt to encourage unproductive use of GenAI as a replacement for studying, whereas more complex, higher-level assignments encourage its productive use as a thinking tool. Through connecting interview data to foundational education theories, this study proposes a set of principles for redesigning assessment. The intent is to strike a new balance between technological advancement and academic integrity, turning assessment into a strong tool for ongoing learning.