IU reaches 3rd credit agreement

It began with general studies. It continued with biotechnology. Now kinesiology students can freely transfer Ivy Tech State College-Bloomington credits to IU-Bloomington.\nThe agreement will allow Ivy Tech students with an Associate degree in kinesiology to continue their education at IU's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation toward a Bachelor of Science degree -- with no loss of credits. The agreement allows students to focus on one of three majors: exercise science, fitness specialist or sport marketing and management.\nThe newest articulation agreement signed by representatives of both schools Wednesday at Ivy Tech was the third official pact in just more than a year. \nIvy Tech-Bloomington Chancellor John Whikehart said while articulation agreements should continue to trickle in, the order is fairly arbitrary.\n"There is no road map," he said. "This is just where the relationship has developed over the last couple of years."\nIU-Bloomington Interim Chancellor Ken Gros Louis, who represented IU at the signing, concurred.\n"There's no master plan," he said. \nBut this agreement is different than the previous two. Unlike IU, Ivy Tech does not yet offer any degree in kinesiology. So while Wednesday's agreement ensures IU's acceptance of any Ivy Tech kinesiology credits, the number of prospective transfers with the degree is the same as the number of extra dollars in the University's budget: zero.\nBut Jim Smith, Ivy Tech's dean of academic affairs, said the college hopes to implement the new degree by next fall.\nHe also said the articulation agreements help Ivy Tech students attain the same education available to IU students. \n"The people we get at our upper ends are as bright as those you have at IU," he said. "They just weren't paying attention in math class."\nGros Louis used Wednesday's signing to unveil another appetizer for prospective IU students -- a new scholarship. The University will now offer 10 $3,000 scholarships to students with two-year degrees, such as those obtained at Ivy Tech.\nGros Louis encouraged all Ivy Tech students to apply. \n"If the applications are more than we expect, we may increase (the scholarships) in the future," he said.\nSmith said about 170 credit hours are transferable under the three articulation agreements in place. But according to the kinesiology agreement, only courses taken during this semester and after apply. Furthermore, "all course work taken prior to spring 2005 will be evaluated by Indiana University-Bloomington faculty to determine transferability of the course work." \nThat means that classes Ivy Tech students took before this semester must undergo the same meticulous process required for all other transfer work. \nBeyond kinesiology, administrators of the two schools are in discussions for similar contracts applying to other degrees. Smith said agreements are in the works for students studying criminal justice, education, nursing, informatics, social work and environmental affairs. \n-- Contact Senior Writer Rick Newkirk at renewkir@indiana.edu.