Release Date
| Description | Date |
|---|---|
| Release No. | 5.5.0 |
| Date | 09.29.16 |
| Time | 6:00PM - 11:00PM PST |
| Type | Mid-Year Release Maintenance Window |
| Changes to Download Client | Yes |
| Changes to Residency Logic | Yes |
Release Scope
| Description | Scope |
|---|---|
| Applications | CCCApply Standard Application CCCApply International Application OpenCCC Student Account System Shibboleth V3 Upgrade |
| Changes to Download Client | Yes |
| Changes to Residency Logic | Yes |
| Toc |
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| Info |
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Pre-Release Summary & Pilot Site Information Per the new CCCApply Communication Policy, colleges will be notified of any planned changes to the OpenCCC and CCCApply student applications 60 days prior to the production release. In addition, a pre-release version of the changes will be rolled to the Pilot environment 30 days prior to the release date. The Pre-Release Summary below outlines the planned changes that will be available for preview on the Pilot Site beginning August 26, 2016 at 6:00PM PST. The production release is scheduled for September 29, 2016 at 6:00PM PST. |
Pre-Release Summary
Below is a high-level summary of the priority enhancements that will be released, which will be followed by technical release notes when the code is deployed to the Pilot (test) system on August 26, 2016.
OpenCCC Account
| Change Specification / Technical Notes | Summary | New Download Data Fields or Change to the Download File | Change to Logic |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenCCC Shibboleth IdP Upgrade to Version 3.0 | When students sign-in to their OpenCCC Accounts to start or edit a CCCApply application, the identity provider software that secures the gateway to their account data, Shibboleth, is being upgraded from version 2.x to 3.0. This is a seamless upgrade and there will be no visible user interface change for users. Colleges do not have to take any action relative to this change. Shibboleth is an open-source single sign-on (log-in) system for computer networks and the Internet. OpenCCC uses Shibboleth as its federated gateway to secure student account data (CCCID and personal identity information). Shibboleth v3.x will allow students and college staff to sign-in to multiple secure web applications run by CCC Technology Center using just one username and password.
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| Enhance Enhancement to OpenCCC Account Recovery: Password Reset by Email Link Link | In an effort to reduce the number of incoming calls and emails to the CCC Helpdesk from students for account recovery support, a new option is being implemented to the Account Recovery process to allow students - who can verify their Username, but forgot their Password - to bypass their security questions and go directly to the Password Reset page with a secure URL link sent to their email account. The link will be valid for 24 hours from the time it is requested. | ||
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Mini-Grants Available to Support College Shibboleth V3 Upgrades The single sign-on IdP used to access the CCCApply Administrator and the CCC Report Center is also being upgraded to version 3.0. The upgraded version of Shibboleth (v3) is backwards compatible with version 2.x at this time; however the CCC Technology Center encourages colleges using Shibboleth as their SAML-compliant IdP software to consider upgrading to version 3.x in the near future.
NOTE: Colleges participating in any of the CCC Tech Center pilot programs and/or statewide technology initiatives, including but not limited to MyPath Portal, CCCAssess, Course Exchange, or Canvas Course Management System, will be required to upgrade to Shibboleth version 3.0 in order allow for student single sign-on across multiple web applicatoins. Mini-grant funds are available to help pilot colleges upgrade using an approved vendor. For more information about upgrading your existing IdP with CCCTC mini-grant funds, contact Keith Franco, kfranco@ccctechcenter.org. |
CCCApply Standard Application
The following planned changes will be live on the Pilot site on August 26, 2016 at 6:00PM PST.
Click on the Change Specification / Technical Notes links to see detailed change specifications which will be added to the CCCApply Data Dictionary with the production release on September 29, 2016.
| Change Specification / Technical Notes | Summary | New Download Data Fields or Change to the Download File | Change to Residency Logic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Data Fields to Support Multiple Measures for Assessment Placement | **OPTIONAL IMPLEMENTATION** | <grade_point_average> | ||
| Add Missing Step to Area B Residency Logic for Classification of Non-Residents (B0) | A missing step is being added to the Area B residency logic to correct issues identified regarding California residents who report an out-of-state activity, such as paying taxes outside the state within the last two years. The fix will ensure that these students are correctly classified as “B2 - possible residents” in the final area calculation. | A new integrity flag data field is being added: <integrity_fg_30> | Changes were made to the Area B residency logic. See Changes to Residency Logic in the Change Specification. | |
| Revised High School/College Finder Widgets | The High School Finder (and College Finder) advanced search widgets which appear on the Education page of the Standard and International Applications were revised to comply with 508/WCAG 2.0 AA accessibility requirements for supported OS/Browser/Screen Readers. The technical changes implemented will allow students using screen readers and/or other assistive technologies to use the widget to look up high schools and colleges without difficulty. | |||
Release Highlights
The OpenCCC Shibboleth IdP is being upgraded to version 3.0. Colleges still using version 2.x Need a sentence here about backwards compatibility and information on how colleges can upgrade at anytime. Documentation is available for colleges when they are ready to upgrade. What is our recommendation to colleges?A change to the Area B residency logic is being made to correct issues identified regarding California residents who report an out-of-state activity, such as paying taxes outside the state within the last two years. The fix will ensure that these students are correctly classified as “B2 - possible residents” in the final area calculation.
A series of data questions to collect self-reported GPA and high school transcript data to support multiple measures for assessment placement (AB753, SB1456), is being added to the Education page. This implementation was requested by the Common Assessment project (CCCAssess) and approved by the CCCApply Steering Committee as an optional implementation only. Colleges must opt-in to participate.
Bug Fixes
OpenCCCApply PILOT Site
Pilot Applications
Remember to include your college's MIS code to the end of each application URL.
| PILOT Application | NEW PILOT Application URL |
PILOT CCCApply Standard Application URL | https://pilot.opencccapply.net/cccapply-welcome?cccMisCode=XXX |
PILOT BOG Application URL | https://pilot.bog.opencccapply.net/gateway/bog?cccMisCode=XXX |
PILOT International Application URL | https://pilot.intl.opencccapply.net/gateway/intl?cccMisCode=XXX *Replace the XXX with your college MIS code. |
Pilot Download Servers URL Attributes
Application | PILOT DOWNLOAD URL |
|---|---|
| PILOT CCCApply Standard Application | https://pilot.admin.openccc.net:8443/ccctransfer |
| PILOT BOG Application | https://pilot.admin.openccc.net:8443/ccctransferbog |
| PILOT International Application |
Enhancements
OpenCCC Account Recovery: Password Reset by Email Link
In an effort to reduce the number of incoming support calls for OpenCCC account recovery to the OpenCCC Helpdesk, we are implementing a new 24/7 self-serve option for students to reset their password through a secure URL sent to the user’s email address.
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Problem: To access CCCApply, or any secure CCC application, students must first have an OpenCCC account. If the student is new to OpenCCC, they are prompted to create a new account. If the student already has an OpenCCC account (CCCID), they must either Sign-In, or go through the Recover Account process. Currently, to recover a forgotten password, the only option is to answer the security questions created during account creation. Solution: With this new option, students can click on a secure URL link in an email which will take them directly to the Reset Password page, bypassing the security questions. The URL must be used within 24 hours of the request. |
New Data Fields to Support Multiple Measures (SB1456)
In support of state legislation AB743, which calls for an systemwide assessment system be developed to include multiple measures for placement, and SB1456, which calls for the gathering of multiple measures data, the Common Assessment Initiative (CAI) has requested a series of data field questions be added to the CCCApply Standard Application in order to collect self-reported, high school transcript information for assessment placement purposes for the CCCAssess program. Seven (7) new questions and downloadable data fields will be added to the Education page of the Standard Application only.
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Collecting transcript data at the time of application for admission facilitates a solution to a very difficult task of obtaining good data otherwise. We believe we can streamline and limit the questions to just those students who need placement. The CCCAssess pilot program includes 59 California Community Colleges who will begin testing the new common assessment platform on September 20, 2016. Adoption and implementation of these questions is 100% OPTIONAL. If your college would like to "Opt-In" to participate, please contact John Hadad, Product Manager, CCCAssess, jhadad@ccctechcenter.org. Testing in Pilot Environment: Colleges that choose to implement these questions can preview the UI (user interface) and test the download client changes in the Pilot environment for 30 days prior to the September 20, 2016 release. Colleges must "opt-in" in order to participate. Please contact Patty Donohue, Product Manager, pdonohue@ccctechcenter.org, or John Hadad, CAI Product Manager, jhadad@ccctechcenter.org. |
Changes to the Download Client
The following fields have been added to the Download Client. To add them to your download file, update your Download Format XML files, as indicated.
The data fields included in the Multiple Measures for Assessment Placement - the “opt-in implementation” - are being added to the Download Client, as well as and the Report Center. All new fields are optional and do not have to be added to your download file; however, if you want to collect this dataAll fields will also be available in the Report Center. Data Fields for Assessment Placement
Description | Data Field | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Grade Point Average | grade_point_average | (varchar 5) | Optional Education page implementation |
HIghest English Course Taken | highest_english_course | (integer) | Optional Education page implementation |
Highest English Course Grade | highest_english_grade | (varchar 2) | Optional Education page implementation |
Highest Math Course Taken | highest_math_course_taken | (integer) | Optional Education page implementation |
Highest Math Course Grade | highest_math_taken_grade | (varchar 2) | Optional Education page implementation |
Highest Math Course Passed | highest_math_course_passed | (integer) | Optional Education page implementation |
Highest Math Passed Grade | highest_math_passed_grade | (varchar 2) | Optional Education page implementation |
Integrity Flag 30 | integrity_fg_30 | varchar2 | Residency: Integrity Flags |
Enrollment Term Description | enroll_term_description | 100 | International Application |
Major Description | major_description | 100 | International Application |
Term Start Date | term_startdate | Standard Application | |
Term End Date | term_enddate | ||
No First Name | no_firstname | integer | Account |
No Middle Name | no-middlename | integer | Account |
No SSN | ssn_no | integer | Account |
Changes to Residency Logic
Update Area B Residency Logic for “Possible” Residents (B2)
The Area B residency logic is being updated to fix a problem with non-resident and “possible” residents being incorrectly classified as “residents” in certain use cases, including the California resident who has also answered “yes” to one of the four “out-of-state” indicators on the residency page in the standard application. The correction will change the “IF NO” column of Step 1 from “B0 and go to step 2” to “Set B2 and go to step 2”. We will also add a new integrity flag (30) to alert Admissions that the user has an “out-of-state” indicator (such as they paid taxes outside of California within the past two years). This change will ensure that these applicants end up as “B2 = Possible Resident. Proof required” or “B0 = Nonresident. Does not meet residency criteria” when they reach the final classification (Step 13).
What action does the college need to take?
There is no required action on the part of the college. However, you may want to review any rules created to ensure this change will not adversely affect any processes previously set up by your college. This change does not affect any data field calculations.