Release Schedule

Description

Date & Time

Release No.

6.2.0

UAT Pilot Release

6.28.18  12:00PM

Production Release

9.30.18 - 12:00PM - 5:00PM

Release 6.2.0 Scope

OpenCCC Account
CCCApply Standard Application (Apply)
CCCApply International Application (IA)
CC Promise Grant Application (BOG)
CCCApply Administrator 2.0 (Admin 2.0)
SSO Proxy User Interface

Contents

New! Additions to the CCCApply Release 6.2.0 Scope

On July 20, the CCC Chancellor's Office approved a series of changes to the OpenCCCApply application and requested they be added to the scope of Release 6.2.0. Adding these late changes to the original deployment schedule necessitated an additional Pilot release (Update 1.0.4), which will be available for colleges to preview beginning September 15.  

Remove the Introduction page from the Standard Application

Remove the Social Security Number Encouragement pop-up box

Rename the Personal Information page to "Demographic Information"

Move the Demographic Information page to later in the application

Revisions to the High School Transcript Information (aka self-reported Multiple Measures questions)

Move the Review Application page to an opt-in section on the Submission page

Move the Consent to Release Information page to the Submission page

Remove the logic (restriction) preventing users under 13 years old from creating an OpenCCC Account

Implement an auto-direct from the Submission confirmation screen in CCCApply to MyPath 

Remove the temporary block preventing users from creating 5 or more OpenCCC Accounts using the same email address

Remove the temporary block preventing users from submitting 10 or more CCCApply applications from the same CCCID within 24hrs

Deferred: Removed from Scope

Implement approved changes to the Race & Ethnicity section in CCCApply, including expanded race groups, ethnicities in a new conditional layout

This proposed change to the current Race & Ethnicity questions in CCCApply has been postponed to a later release in order to allow colleges time to implement these changes to their Download XML files.

Upgrade the user interface styles and branding required in the new CCCCO Style Guide

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Release Summary

The CCCApply Release 6.2.0 combines the efforts of three project teams, closely coordinated to support the CCCApply 2018 annual update traditional fall release, which primarily consists of the development and integration of the new version of the CCCApply Administrator 2.0 and the launch of a new shared SSO-based staff and faculty "user and access management" system called the CCC Administrator. 

Overall, Minimal Changes to CCCApply Applications - No New Required Data Fields

The good news is there are very few changes to the CCCApply applications themselves in this release. There are no new required questions or data fields that need to be added to data downloads. We took advantage of this release to fix a long list of bugs and technical debt issues across Apply, Promise Grant, and International which are listed below (by Application).   

New Spam Filter Web Service 

However, one new service being added to the CCCApply Standard application - the Spam Filter Web Service - is being implemented to combat the large number of fraudulent applications coming in through the Standard application. This service does have a required user component that colleges will need to monitor regularly in order to ensure the machine-learning prediction model behind the service continues to grow, learn and identify fraud as the spammers change their tactics to avoid being detected. This service sits in the post-submission application pipeline and will not affect the user experience; however colleges will be given training on how to monitor and process spam applications through the new CCCApply Administrator 2.0 as part of their implementation & UAT session.

Release Strategy

Pilot Release & Recurring Updates

Due to the scope of this release, a series of Pilot environment updates are planned between now and the Production release on September 28. These zero-down time deployments should not affect college implementation and testing:  .

• June 28 (Pilot 1.0):  This was the initial deployment of the full CCCApply 6.2.0 code to the Pilot environment. College Support Services begins working with UAT colleges.
• July 12 (Pilot 1.0.1):  This scheduled Pilot update may override data changes in Pilot due to a  by a data refresh scheduled for July 12. 
• July 19 (Pilot 1.0.2):  This Pilot update fixed several bugs reported during Pilot UAT process. 
• September 6 (Pilot 1.0.3):  This update fixed a major User Authorization issue, as well as several major bugs, identified during Pilot UAT that necessitated the Pilot site to come down while to be fixed.  
• September 14 (Pilot 1.0.4): This update deploys the code for the approved CCCApply changes requested by the Chancellor's Office. 
• September 28 (Production 1.0)  

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Pilot Implementation Activities & Support

The new CCCApply Administrator 2.0 tool will completely replace the current CCCApply admin system (Admin 1.0), which means that all 110 colleges who have adopted the CCCApply application will be affected by this product release. The purpose of this pilot release plan is to ensure that every college and district has been informed about the scope and timeline for this release; and have completed the technical requirements and operational tasks necessary to ensure a successful transition to the new system - before we migrate off the production server and turn on the new common admin service to all colleges across the system.  A successful migration and implementation in the pilot environment will be the indicator of whether we are ready to make the switch in production, and when. 

Similar to all previous CCCApply releases, Release 6.2.0 will deploy one or more iterative code releases to the Pilot (sandbox) environment for preview prior to the Production release on September 28; thus allowing colleges time to review all coming changes and work with College Support Services and Enabling Services to complete pre-migration,  IT setup and operational implementation activities.  College Support Services worked with six colleges to complete a Pilot User Acceptance Testing process to validate the new college URLs and verify the accuracy of the data migration process. 

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Pilot Environment: CCCApply Administrator & Applications

The CCCApply Pilot Environment is the testing site used by CCCApply colleges to set up and test their CCCApply applications (custom supplemental questions, rules, etc.) and corresponding CCCApply Administrator.  Prior to releases, the Pilot environment will isolate new features and code changes for preview and testing, allowing colleges

Getting to Your Pilot Tools

Please see the Pilot Environment section in the CCCApply Public Documentation space for more information on getting to the Pilot CCCApply Applications, pointing your download files to the Pilot download server, and identifying the Pilot Administrator & Report Center URLs.

NOTE:  The Pilot Application URLs are not changing with the release of the new CCCApply Administrator 2.0.  Colleges should continue to use the application URL templates listed below.

Pilot Administrator & Report Center

http://{college or district domain}.pilot.openccc.net/admin

Replace (college or district) with your .edu domain

http://{college or district domain}.pilot.openccc.net/reports

Replace (college or district) with your .edu domain

Pilot CCCApply Applications

PILOT CCCApply Standard Application URL

https://pilot.opencccapply.net/cccapply-welcome?cccMisCode=XXX

*Replace the XXX with your college MIS code.

PILOT Promise Grant (BOG) Application URL

PILOT International Application URL

https://pilot.intl.opencccapply.net/gateway/intl?cccMisCode=XXX

*Replace the XXX with your college MIS code. 

Pilot Download URL Attributes

Include the following URL attributes in your PILOT Job XML files. For more information, refer to the Download Client User Guide for details.

https://pilot.admin.openccc.net:8443/ccctransferintl 

NEW Production & Pilot URLs

The URLs below are templates, so the examples shown below are not your URLs. These are provided to give you an example of what yours look like. Please contact your IT department if you do not have access to your Pilot Administrator and Pilot Report Center.  (New - Click here to find your new college URLs to the CCCApply Administrator 2.0 & Report Center.)

Data Dictionaries & Release Documentation

The following links point to the most current versions of the CCCApply Data Dictionaries and User Guides.

Changes to the OpenCCC Account

The following changes were implemented in the 6.2.0 release. 

Update logic and text in the Birthdate <birthdate> field to allow users under the age of 13 to create an OpenCCC Account

Per clarification of the COPPA laws, students under the age of 13 are eligible to create an OpenCCC account as the purpose of the account is related to educational institutions, and the educational journey of the student, and required to apply to a California Community College. 

Removed logic that prevents users under the age of 13 to create an OpenCCC Account based on their date of birth.

Changes to the CCCApply Standard Application

The following changes were implemented in the 6.2.0 release code.

Standard Application Only. New post-submission web service to support spam detection in CCCApply. The full web service includes multiple micro-services, machine learning continuous training model, prediction service, system monitoring, college email alerts, and user interface are described in detail in the User Guide and supplemental release note information, accessible below.  

Standard Application Only. To support college's adapt to the new spam filter, monitoring has been implemented to alert the college by email if one or more submitted applications has been suspended in the Spam Filter (Summary Table). The two email messages are: 

• Daily Spam Alert Email:  Sends an email to the Admissions Office Contact Email" to alert the college that one or more applications have been suspended from the post-submission download process and need to be managed in the Spam Filter User Interface in the new CCCApply Admin 2.0.
• Reminder Spam Alert Email: Sends an email to the Admissions Office Contact Email" to alert the college that one or more applications has been sitting in the suspension folder (Spam Filter User Interface) for 3 days or more. This email alert is a reminder to the college that all applications suspended in the Spam Filter need to be "confirmed" by the college in order for the model to continue to grow and learn.  

Ed Goal Alignment Filter Logic 

6.28.18: Out of scope for this release

<sexual_orientation>

<transgender>

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Changes to the Promise Grant Application (BOG)

The following changes were implemented in the 6.2.0 release code.

Web service call was implemented to support the phased integration of the CC Promise Grant Application (BOG) data with the College Adaptor (Glue 2.5). 

All Bug Fixes

The following bugs or defects were fixed in this release. They are displayed below 

Area or Section

OpenCCC Account Bugs

Standard Application Bugs

Post Submission

Application surveys are not being pushed to submitted_applications database

CC Promise Grant Application Bugs

Account / Mailing Information

Fixed issue where editing the Date of Birth Year didn't change options in the BOG Application

International Application Bugs

General Application

Implemented logic to make checkbox fields behave consistently throughout the application and across applications. Any time a checkbox hides a field, and the checkbox is cleared, the data will be restored to the field if they re-check the box if the page hasn't been Saved first.

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Changes to the CCC Report Center

The only change that colleges need to be aware of relative to the CCC Report Center in this release are the two new custom college-URLs they need to use to get there.

Pilot Report Center:  http://{college domain}.pilot.openccc.net/reports

Production Report Center:  http://{college domain}.openccc.net/reports

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.

No

OPTIONAL field added to the Majors module in the Administrator. 

NOTE: Major categories must be separated by a comma in the export formatting. 

Data Field Notes

The following notes pertain to OpenCCC & CCCApply data fields.  

This is only a new response/value being added to an existing data field.
This data field is one of the OPTIONAL fields in the High School Transcript Information section (aka Self-Reported Multiple Measures).

• A new field response/value has been added to the <highest_math_course_taken> field.
• That new database value is "13 = Math Analysis" 
• This value will appear in the Highest Math Course Taken question in the Apply application between Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus in the drop down menu.

This is only a new response/value being added to an existing data field. 
This data field is one of the OPTIONAL fields in the High School Transcript Information section (aka Self-Reported Multiple Measures).

• A new field response/value has been added to the <highest_math_course_passed> field.
• That new database value is "13 = Math Analysis" 
• This value will appear in the Highest Math Course Passed question in the Apply application between Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus in the drop down menu.

Emoji chars are 2-bytes and we currently only support 1 byte; By default, these are stripped now in the fix.If they want to add those characters, the college would have to add something to their download file to accept those characters.

StripDiacritics is still supported.

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Additional Information:  New Features & Services

New! CCCApply Spam Filter Web Service

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The purpose of the Spam Filter web service is to identify fraudulent applications coming into our system through CCCApply and prevent them from being passed to and processed by our colleges as legitimate applications.

A full series of articles detailing the new Spam Filter Web Service, include:

• Issue: Rise in Fraudulent Applications Coming in Through CCCApply
• Ways We Are Addressing Fraud in CCCApply
• Machine Learning Research Study
• Development: Spam Filter Web Service
• Development: Spam Filter User Interface

More resources will be available to support the implementation and regular monitoring of the Spam Filter Web Service, including the new updated CCCApply Administrator 2.0 User Guide documentation, video tutorials, and live training sessions during the Pilot implementation period.

Each application suspended in the Spam Filter Summary table can be selected individually or multiple applications can be selected. Once an application is selected the action buttons become active; including the "Confirm Spam" button and the "Mark as Valid" button. 

SuperGlue for CCCApply (College Adapter 2.5)

With the CCC Technology Platform (SuperGlue) College Adaptor version 2.5, Colleges can receive a full dataset of a student’s CCCApply data directly to a staging table in their college ERP/SIS. A student’s Apply data will be delivered as soon as their application is complete. The Apply dataset includes unencrypted LGBTQ data that can be used for mandatory reporting to the Chancellor’s office. Delivery of College Promise and International data is not supported in this version of the adaptor, but will be added in the next release. College ERPs supported with the College Adaptor 2.5 Release: Colleague, Banner and PeopleSoft Campus Solutions.

We foresee colleges using this dataset in two possible scenarios:

Scenario 1: College Continues to Use the CCCApply Download Client as well as the College Adaptor

Scenario 2: College Discontinues using the CCCApply Download Client and adopts the College Adaptor (SuperGlue) 2.5 for real-time integration with your SIS

In this scenario, your college would discontinue using the CCCApply Download Client and work with the CCC Technology Center to implement the College Adaptor (SuperGlue) 2.5 for real-time integration of your CCCApply dataset with your college SIS. The college would work with the CCC Technology Center to point their post processing scripts at the new secure staging table and adjust their CCCApply scripts to consume the newly delivered CCCApply dataset, storing the data in the college SIS or preparing the necessary files for upload.

What is SuperGlue?

The CCC Technology Platform (SuperGlue) is the integrations framework for the products of the California Community Colleges Technology Center (CCCTC). SuperGlue integrations facilitate data exchange between the system-wide products built by or purchased by the CCCTC for the California Community Colleges system. This includes the following applications:

• Canvas Webapp
• My Path Enterprise Student Portal
• Career Planning Systems
• Multiple Measures Student Placement Platform
• CCCApply
• California Promise Grant Application (BOG)

Accessing Your CCCApply AB620 Data for MIS Reporting

Colleges can obtain their students’ unencrypted AB620 data for MIS reporting in real-time through the CCC Technology Platform’s (SuperGlue) College Adaptor. The College Adaptor Release 2.5 supports the Glue for Apply project to securely deliver in real time CCCApply records into a staging table in the College SIS via the Glue College Adaptor. Records will include the entire CCCApply dataset, including the college's custom Supplemental Questions, and unencrypted AB620 data fields: Sexual Orientation and Transgender. Implementation of this delivery will require data to be stored in an encrypted database table at the college.

Colleges interested in upgrading or installing the College Adaptor 2.5 version in order to receive the unencrypted AB620 data can contact Keith Franco of the CCCTC Enabling Services team: kfranco@ccctechcenter.org

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New! CCCApply Administrator 2.0

The new CCCApply Administrator 2.0 is an upgrade to the existing CCCApply Administrator (Admin 1.0),with a new look & feel and enhanced user navigation. The technology has been upgraded from a PHP-based application to a java-based, spring boot platform, with a React user interface, which has allowed us to fix many of the bugs and issues that existed in the current administrator and add one or two new features. Additional enhancements, features and services are planned for future releases. 

For more information about the new CCCApply Administrator 2.0, see:

• User Guide:  /wiki/spaces/PD/pages/758546724
• BLOG: CCCApply Administrator 2.0: New Features
• BLOG: Introduction to the New CCC Administrator
• BLOG: What's the Difference Between the New Administrators?

In this first release, our objective is to rewrite all the existing features and functionality that are in the current admin system with minimal changes in an upgraded interface (feature parity). This accounts for approximately 90% of the development work we are releasing in this version. The features that have not changed in the CCCApply Administrator 2.0, are:

• Terms
• Majors*
• Rules
• Messages
• Supplemental Questions
• College & District Information
• Reset Downloads
• English Proficiency Information (International only)

New features account for the other 10% and include:

• New Spam Filter User Interface
• New Major Category Filter (OPTIONAL)
• New CIP Code data field (OPTIONAL)

The feature functionality that moved to the new core admin system (CCC Administrator) are: 

• Getting to the CCCApply Administrator 2.0 with a new URL for each college
• Authentication - User accounts will continue to authenticate you when you login to the new system.
• Authorization - User accounts and permissions are maintained in the new core admin platform. All user authorization is managed by the Tech Center in the first release.
• Launching authorized admin systems from the CCC Administrator homepage
• Launch Applications Menu
  

Navigation & User Interface Enhancements

• Applications Menu

  • Quickly move between your authorized CCCApply applications by selecting from the "Applications" menu in the header of all pages.

• Modules Menu Navigation Bar

  • Quickly move between application modules without leaving the current screen or application (more benefits and functionality here)

• Colleges Menu Navigation Bar

  • Benefits for District Users: Quickly navigate between the colleges in your district. Drop down menu appears on all pages in the Administrator.
    

• New Utilities Menu
  • Designed to scale as new utilities are added to CCCApply, access application-specific utilities, web services, and other integrated technology components from the Modules menu in each application;
  • Reset Downloads: Find the Reset Downloads module under "Utilities" menu in each application.
  • Spam Filter User Interface - Find the new Spam Filter user interface module under the "Utilities" menu in the Standard Application only. 

New! CCC Administrator

The CCC Administrator is the new centralized admin service for California Community Colleges faculty and staff - providing SSO-based authentication and user management for all CCC Tech Center and systemwide administrator tools and services.  This new service is designed to scale as products and services are developed and integrated with this central system.

See the Introduction to the New CCC Administrator for more information about: 

Overview of features and functionality

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Features & Benefits

A Single Point of Entry

• The primary benefit of the CCC Administrator is to provide one single point of entry - one URL and one central landing page - for all your Tech Center and other systemwide admin configuration tools and services - thus eliminating the need for faculty and staff to manage multiple sites and login credentials for their systemwide administrator applications.

SSO Authentication

• Delivers SSO-based authentication for all CCC college and district staff users across all integrated CCCTC-developed admin applications. Users login to the central administrator once, then navigate to their authorized services in the same session.

User Authorization

• Delivers centralized “System Administrator” services, including identity and access management (user authorization, roles, and permissions) in one consolidated user account for all services and resources securely.

Land and Launch Global Interface

• Provides one central landing page for college and district users to launch the applications they are authorized to access, including the new CCCApply Administrator 2.0 system, in a new tab or window depending on your browser and operating system.

Scalable Architecture

• The new architecture design scales as users, applications and services are added to the system. 

Land & Launch Global Interface

Getting to the New Administrators & CCC Report Center

• CCCApply Administrator 2.0: Now that the CCCApply Administrator 2.0 is accessed through the new CCC Administrator system, there is no longer a direct link to the CCCApply Administrator.

• CCC Report Center: In this release, colleges will navigate to the CCC Report Center through a new college URL - however, all User accounts are created in the CCC Administrator system. 
• New Canvas Administrator: 

User & Access Management for all integrated CCCTC admin tools are now maintained in the new, centralized System Administrator application in the CCC Administrator.  One of the benefits to users in the new system is the consolidation of all their previous individual user accounts into one account, which allows for multiple applications, roles, and permissions in one account (one username & password) for each user, for each environment (Pilot vs. Production). 

• ALL USERS must first have a user account set up for them (new or migrated from Admin 1.0) before they can login (authenticate) to the new CCCApply Administrator 2.0.

• ALL USER ACCOUNTS are created and managed in the “User Manager” system in the CCC Administrator.  

• ALL EXISTING USER ACCOUNTS in the CCCApply Admin 1.0 and the CCC Report Center systems will be migrated over to the new Admin 2.0 system prior to Pilot and Production releases.

• ALL USERS will have a "Basic User" role for each Application they are authorized to access in the CCCApply Administrator 2.0 system (including the Report Center). 

• USERS who are authorized to manage other users for their college or district, must be assigned the appropriate "CCCAdmin" role by an authorize CCC Tech Center support engineer or another authorized CCCAdmin users with equal or greater scope of authorities.
  

For more information about User Management in the CCCApply Administrator 2.0 or CCC Report Center, please see the /wiki/spaces/PD/pages/758546724.

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New! Canvas Administrator

Another new staff and faculty admin configuration tool - now available for colleges who have adopted the College Adaptor (SuperGlue) - is also being deployed in this release and is accessible from the new CCC Administrator system. Colleges that have adopted the Canvas LMS and the College Adapter (v.2.5) are encouraged to pilot the new admin tool for automating the synchronization of student enrollments, terms, and courses.

Using the Canvas Administrator tool, college Canvas administrators can automate course shell creation for the Canvas LMS using the College ERP/SIS term and section data. The Canvas Administrator also allows Canvas admins to schedule and automate student section enrollments so that they are synchronized between the ERP/SIS and Canvas. 

Automatic synchronization of student enrollments allows students to access their content in Canvas without delay, helping them stay on path to their educational goals. Automatically creating Canvas course shells and synchronizing section and enrollment data between the ERP/SIS and Canvas also eliminates the need for faculty to manually update their student rosters, or Canvas course details, giving them more time to focus on instruction. For more information on the Canvas-SIS Integration, see the SuperGlue Public Documentation page.

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Support Services

Support for the new CCC Administrator, and all current and future integrated web applications - including the CCCApply Administrator 2.0, Canvas Web App, and the CCC Report Center - is provided by the CCCTC College Support Services.  Colleges can contact support in a number of ways:

• Post a question or comment related to CCC Technology Center products and services on the College Support Site (CCCTechnology.info)
• Submit a request for technical or operational support through the College Support Site (See Using the College Support Site for more information)
• Contact College Support Services directly by email at staffsupportccctc@openccc.zendesk.com

Information is available online at:  CSUP

CCCTechnology.info

CCCTechnology.info - the College Support Site for the CCC Technology Center - is the starting place for requesting support for all OpenCCCApply applications and services, including the new CCCApply Spam Filter web service and user interface, the new CCCApply Administrator 2.0 tool, and all current and future OpenCCCApply projects and services.