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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

Ivy Tech grows as state's official community college

School increases student enrollment, adds more degree options

Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana began a statewide marketing campaign Sept. 1 to alert people of the changes the school is undergoing.\nJohn Whikehart, chancellor of the Bloomington Ivy Tech campus, said the school recently changed its name from Ivy Tech State College to Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana after Senate Bill 296, formally recognized Ivy Tech as the state's official community college system, July 1. \n"This name change is symbolic of the transformation the school has been making in the past years," Whikehart said. "The school is now formally recognized by the state as a community college."\nWhikehart said the school will be offering more degree options and more transfer credits. The school now offers 214 hours that can be transferred to a four-year college or university. However, the four-year college or university that will be accepting the transfer hours has final say in whether it will accept the credit. Whikehart said Ivy Tech being formally recognized by the state of Indiana as a community college will help encourage other institutions to accept transfer credits from Ivy Tech.\nHe said this change will not directly impact the funding the school receives, but the school does receive funding based on enrollment, which he expects to grow with the new programs the school is offering.\nIvy Tech Dean of Enrollment Services Bryan Newton said the marketing campaign will include television commercials, Web site updates and billboards targeting areas surrounding Ivy Tech's 23 campuses.\n"The theme of our branding campaign is 'Changing Lives,'" Newton said. "We want prospective students to know that Ivy Tech is affordable, close to home, has credits that transfer and will give you personal attention."\nIvy Tech of Bloomington saw an enrollment increase of 12 percent this fall, according to a press release from the Office of the Chancellor. This is also the 12th year in a row the campus has seen an increase in its enrollment, the statement said.\nKaci May, who transferred to Ivy Tech from IU two years ago, said she didn't think many people were aware of the changes taking place at Ivy Tech. \n"I thought Ivy Tech was a recognized community college last year," May said. "There are definitely more people this year."\nMay said she is confident all the classes she is enrolled in at Ivy Tech will transfer to a four-year college or university. \n"I went to Ivy Tech because I didn't really know what I wanted to study," May said. "Ivy Tech is cheaper and easier on my schedule than IU."\nMay said many of her friends attending Ivy Tech couldn't get into IU. She said many people attend Ivy Tech to raise their grades so that they can be admitted to IU or other universities.\nIvy Tech will offer a community college curriculum including general education, liberal arts and occupational and technical training at all of its major instructional sites, according to Senate Bill 296. It will also provide an opportunity for students to earn associate degrees that four-year colleges and universities will accept.\nIvy Tech is the second largest post-secondary institution in Indiana, according to the Ivy Tech Web site, IU is No. 1. Whikehart said the two institutions complement each other. \n"Indiana is a global research institution," he said. "We are a work force development institution"

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