A bill requiring Indiana four-year public universities to develop a common core to make it easier for students to transfer was passed in 2012. 

Indiana Senate Bill 0182 requires “state institutions” to accept credits from another in-state institution, even an associate degrees “as credit toward a related bachelor’s degree.”

Thirty credits will be available in universities across Indiana when the system is created.

Since the in-effect date on July 1, the university has been working to create our “common core.”

Mark Krahling, university core director and associate chemistry professor, is one of the faculty members working to help create the core.

“The law allows students to transfer 30 hours of general education requirements at any Indiana institutions, but only in state,” he said.

Krahling is the USI representative of a group created by Indiana Commission of Higher Education to help establish the universal core.

This group is said to meet in a few weeks, to discuss a proposal on how USI intends to meet these 30 hours.

“Whenever students transfer and their courses are successfully completed, students are always able to get their credits at USI,” Krahling said. “Each university decides what courses count. Losing credits has never been an issue.”

In the past, some students have not had such simple transfers.

Chantoria Alfred, a student who transferred from Vincennes University, said she had a hard time getting her credits transferred to USI.  

“It really sucked – only a select few of the credits transferred,” she said. “I gotta take classes over – 12 of them.”

Alfred said it was “such a long process.”

“When I transferred, USI said they didn’t receive my papers,” she said. “They need so much stuff. I had to come from Vincennes one day last year, and USI said they didn’t need a certain paper. Then later said I needed that same paper!”

Former USI and current Indiana University (IU) student Monya Waldman said she had a much easier time transfering credits to IU.

Waldman completed her first two years at USI before transferring and said it saved her a lot of money.

“All my credits transferred – I didn’t know if it was going to really happen,” she said. “My first two years were so much cheaper.”

“USI was good about sending IU stuff. Everyone in the transfer office was sad to see me go, but wished me good luck. IU welcomed me and said ‘Good job, you came from a good small school.’”