The Florida Board of Governors has articulated the importance of student achievement in its strategic planning and accountability processes.  Research indicates that students are served best when students and faculty fully engage in a teaching-learning partnership in which it is made clear to students what they will learn and how faculty will assess that learning.  Therefore, the Board of Governors has determined that universities will develop Academic Learning Compacts (ALC) and related assessment processes to define and demonstrate student achievement in baccalaureate degree programs. 

At the University of South Florida, student success is a major strategic priority.  For each USF baccalaureate degree program, an Academic Learning Compact identifies the expected core student learning outcomes for degree program graduates relative to communication skills, content/discipline knowledge and skills, and critical thinking skills. It is expected that students will acquire these skills and knowledge if they successfully follow the prescribed course of study in their declared major, and the ALC will delineate what students are expected to know and be able to demonstrate upon successful completion of their undergraduate degree program. Additionally, the ALC must identify the corresponding assessment strategies used to measure student achievement on each of the core student learning outcomes for the degree program.