The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:
(a) The primary goal of every higher educational institution should be to provide a collegiate experience that gives each student the skills of communication and problemsolving, the ideas and principles underlying the major areas of modern knowledge, the ability to consider critical issues thoughtfully, the understanding that learning is a continuous lifelong process, and the knowledge of democracy necessary for good citizenship.
(b) To improve performance, educational institutions are encouraged to use effective assessment mechanisms based on positive reinforcement, incentives, and cooperation.