IU, Ivy Tech sign credit transfer deal
Agreement between 2 Bloomington schools could pave way for other cooperative efforts.

Associated Press

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A new agreement that allows students who earn two-year degrees at Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington to apply those credits toward a four-year degree at Indiana University could serve as a template for further cooperation, officials said.

The agreement signed Thursday allows students who earn Ivy Tech's new associate of science degree in general studies to transfer course credits toward a bachelor of science degree in general studies at IU's Bloomington campus.

"I think this is certainly an excellent beginning for us and a chance to think about what other opportunities we have to work collaboratively," said John Whikehart, chancellor of Ivy Tech-Bloomington.

Whikehart has said such an agreement was key to the future of the state's community college system at Ivy Tech's Bloomington campus. Ivy Tech has similar agreements with six IU regional campuses and other four-year state universities.

The community college system is a 3-year-old hybrid of Ivy Tech and Vincennes University, the state's only public two-year institutions.

Some legislators last year accused IU officials of making it hard for students to transfer to the Bloomington campus. IU officials contended that students should not be able to transfer credits unless different institutions' course requirements and outcomes were comparable.

While the agreement covers only general studies, it could open the door to collaboration in criminal justice, biotechnology and other areas where the colleges have similar programs, Whikehart said.

"It's a template," said Sharon Brehm, chancellor of IU-Bloomington. "Having done it once, it provides a structure for other collaborations."

Officials said general studies seemed like a good place to begin matching degree programs. The IU degree, offered through the continuing studies program, accommodates part-time and returning students likely to take longer than four years to graduate. It requires 120 credits.

The Ivy Tech degree, offered this year for the first time, requires completion of 60 credit hours, including at least 12 each in arts and humanities, science and math, and social and behavioral sciences.

Faculty from the two schools evaluated the general-studies transfer courses to make sure they were comparable.

Brehm said the agreement includes continuing evaluation to make sure students who transfer from Ivy Tech are prepared for their classes at IU.