Policy Framework
State law (IC 21-42-7-2) mandates that all public institutions of higher education adopt a policy for the acceptance of military training for educational credit. In response, Indiana University, through the University Transfer Office and the University Faculty Council has adopted policy ACA-78 to address such transfer of credit. Credits transferred may be the result of military transcript analysis, transfer from a military educational institution, CLEP, DSST, and Excelsior College exam credit. The policy also creates a consistency in the consideration of basic training credit of up to 15 hours.
With limited exceptions, the transfer of basic training credit is articulated as undistributed. Other sources of credit articulate either as distributed or undistributed in the manner established by the appropriate disciplinary faculty across Indiana University.
Effect of Policy
As a result of the above policy definitions, some military personnel are able to transfer high levels of undistributed credit upon their enrollment. While a certain amount of undistributed credit may be useful in fulfilling credit hour requirements for elective credit, excessive amounts may place the student in jeopardy of exceeding credit limits assigned to financial aid eligibility, thus being flagged for a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) hold due to excessive credits. The SAP hold, in turn, may impact the student’s access to financial aid.
While undistributed military-related transfer credit is potentially beneficial to degree
completion, excessive amounts can result in adverse action against the student’s ability to persist if they are denied access to financial support programs.
Identification of Transfer Applicability from Military Institutions
The University Transfer Office will work with campus representatives to identify if there are particular military credits that cannot be applied to academic programs at Indiana University. If so identified, these articulations can be targeted to be set at zero credits for articulation such that they do not contribute to students being assessed for SAP due to excess credits.
SAP Mitigation from Excessive Credit
The university has the option to remove transcripted, undistributed military credit from applicability to SAP calculations. This can be accomplished either by removing so-defined credit from consideration, or by reducing the credits for some or all of such items to zero, thus allowing the student to continue uninterrupted in pursuit of their degree. University Financial Aid Directors have indicated that the administration of this process presents an opportunity for conversation with the impacted students, having a beneficial effect on retention, and, as such, have requested that the implementation of this policy be retained at the campus level.
As a defined process, this policy benefits the consistent treatment of military students and undistributed credits from training and service. Furthermore, establishing regular reporting cycles and definitions facilitates the ability to characterize the efficacy of military credit in advancing students toward their degree objectives. In creating the reporting cycles and guidelines, the identification of affected students can be accomplished through an SIS report to be shared with appropriate campus personnel for information and action. It is recommended
that at least the minimum credits necessary – if available – be reduced to remove the SAP flag, with consideration for mitigating future SAP status through further reduction. If there is not sufficient undistributed military credit to remove SAP status, the student will remain subject to the established requirements and restrictions.
It is important to note that the reduction of credit for undistributed military coursework would not result in the removal of transcripted items, but would only reduce the associated credit hours.
Reporting and Identification of Students for the “SAP safety Net”
With the assistance of USSS, a routine report can be created to identify those students meeting the following criteria:
- Student is identified for SAP flag due ONLY to excessive credits based on criteria determined by campus financial aid policy.
- Student is identified as a military transfer student based on credit articulations from military Org ID’s present in SIS (listed below).
- Army: 0001893074
- Marines: 0001893061
- Navy: 0001893065
- Air Force: 0001893066
- Coast Guard: 0001893027
- Community College of the Air Force: 0000026213
- Defense Language Institute: 0001712633
- Transcript analysis of identified students can then be used to assess available undistributed credits from military institutions. If there are sufficient undistributed credit from military institution(s) that the reduction of some or all of these credits would remove the student from SAP status, these can be reduced in order to move the student out of SAP status.
Frequency of implementation: Each May when on-time applicants are reviewed for SAP. Late applicants would be flagged in the weekly SAP output and managed as each campus financial aid office sees fit.
Effective Date: upon approval of the Financial Aid Council
Document History: Revised March 25, 2018
