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Release Scope  

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Release Summary & Strategy

Release 6.3.0 is a minor release scheduled for the purpose of deploying the new Race & Ethnicity section changes in CCCApply (Standard & International). This change, which includes an updated layout and an expansion to the ethnicity/ancestry data currently collected in CCCApply, is an important initiative supported The purpose of this release is to deploy the highly anticipated Ethnicity-Ancestry Expansion Project implementation - approved and sponsored by the Chancellor's Office based on over two years of research by in support of the Student Equity Planning workgroup in collaboration with dozens of systemwide stakeholders across all 115 colleges. Although the new design is effectively an expansion to the overall data currently collected in the Race & Ethnicity section now, it has been designed specifically to give colleges the both the new data, in a new data field, while purposely maintaining the existing data fields and formats currently downloaded now and used for MIS reporting.

Also included in this release is an overall upgrade to the user interface styling across OpenCCC and the CCCApply applications, effectively aligning the look and feel of CCCApply to the CCCMyPath portal. 

Finally, we will be deploying the 2019-2020 CC Promise Grant Application, which will be active on January 1, 2019.

Pilot Preview 

Due to the compressed timeline of 's research to close the gap in student equity. This feature enhancement was scheduled to be included in the September 2018 release (6.2.0) as part of the initial CCCApply Redesign deployments; however it was postponed in order to honor our commitment to implement this change free from any impact to the colleges IT staff.  The new Race & Ethnicity Implementation 2018 includes: one new, optional data field to collect all the new response options included in the expansion (Race Ethnicity Full); a new streamline layout to the Race & Ethnicity section in the Standard & International applications; and 194 new race and ethnicity-ancestry checkbox options in an accordion-style format.

• To read the approved change request: 2018-18R: New Race & Ethnicity Implementation 2018
• To reach the research background information: Ethnicity/Ancestry Expansion Project
• For step by step UAT guide: UAT: Race & Ethnicity Implementation 2018

Also in this release:

• User-interface styling upgrade across OpenCCC and all CCCApply applications for the purpose of aligning our look and feel to the CCCMyPath student portal.
• The annual CC Promise Grant Application for 2019-2020 is also being deployed, which will be active for colleges on January 1, 2019.
  
  

Pilot Preview

Due to the short timeline for this release, the Pilot preview period - the time during period in which the our two external-facing CCCApply environments are not in synch for the purpose of giving aligned, providing colleges user preview and implementation support prior to an upcoming production release - will begin Monday, November 19 through December 7, 2018. The CCCApply Support Services team will be monitoring feedback on the CCCTechnology.info support site and additional online support documentation and training will be available.

Release Schedule & Timeline

• November 1920 - 9:00AM - 4:00PM (Note the Pilot Site will be down during this release).
• December 714 - 6:00PM - 11:00PM - Production Maintenance Window

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Pilot User Acceptance Testing

UAT and implementation support for this release is only needed f in the Pilot Environment will commence as early as the evening of November 19, following the Pilot release scheduled for morning.

The objectives for the user testing include:  

• Ensure colleges are able to get race group, hispanic, and race ethnicity data in a format consistent with their legacy format when they add the new data field to their downloads or not
• Ensure colleges are able to get the legacy data formats if they do nothing - if they don't add the new field and they don't run the jar file
• Colleges are able to get the legacy R&E data format in addition to the new Full R&E data if they add the new field and run the jar file

Colleges that want to collect the new data should add the new data field to their download files and update the download jar file.

Participating Colleges

User acceptance testing will be performed across the three main SIS systems, as well as one or more custom systems. 

Colleges are being solicited to volunteer for this effort.

Pilot Success Criteria

For the new Race & Ethnicity changes, our goals for pre-release implementation testing are:

• Colleges can continue to download the original (legacy) race and ethnicity data field formats for:
  • hispanic
  • race_group
  • race_ethnic    (CCCApply)
  • race_ethnicity (International only) 
• Colleges are able to add the new data field to their Format XML files, update the transfer-client.jar file (v.6.3.0), and download the new expanded data:
  • race_ethnic_full
• Colleges are able to get the legacy data fields and formats AND the new field/data 
• Colleges can still comply with MIS data requirements successfully with the new Race & Ethnicity implementation in place

UAT Instructions to Colleges

• Use the updated specs for each repurposed and new data field and make necessary changes specified in the CCCApply & International Data Dictionary (v.6.3.0)
• Update your Pilot Standard App & International App Format Definition XML files - as detailed below:
  • Add the new race & ethnicity FULL data field to the Format XML
    
    • CCCApply:  <race_ethnic_full>
    • International:  <race_ethnic_full>
  • Update the format spec for the existing <race_ethnic> fields in both applications:
    • remove spaces in the comma-delimited format
    • Note: the data field has a slightly different name in the International application:  <race_ethnicity>
• Update your custom Import file or process to absorb the changes and the new FULL data field - for Pilot & Production
• Update the Pilot Download Jar file with the latest version (v.6.3.0)
• Run a test download Job in the Pilot environment

UAT Steps for Colleges

Follow the steps below for successful user acceptance testing:  add the new Race & Ethnicity Full data field to your CCCApply Format Definitions XML file for both Pilot and Production environments.

1. Log in to your college /wiki/spaces/PD/pages/131465676 and start a new CCCApply Standard application from your My Applications page.
2. Complete the new application from the Enrollment page to the Needs & Interests page. Continue on to the Demographic Information page.
   1. Note: This includes the Account Information/Mailing, Education, Citizenship/Military, Residency pages.
   2. Complete the Gender/Transgender section;
   3. Complete the Parent/Guardian Education Level;
3. Review the new Race & Ethnicity layout changes and enter the following information:
   1. Hispanic/Latino question: Select the Yes radio button to expand the Hispanic/Latino sub-categories. Select one or more checkbox options.
   2. Race Group categories: Select one or more of the race group checkboxes to expand the corresponding ethnicity sub-categories.
   3. Click Continue to go to the last page;
4. Complete the remaining required portions of the application and submit the application 
   1. This includes the Submission page sections: Review App, Consent to Release Information, and Submission
   2. After submission, note the application's Confirmation number (App_id) and your CCCID.

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Changes to the CCCApply Standard Application

The following changes and enhancements were approved for development and implemented in the 6.3.0 release code.

Changes to the International Application (BOG)

The following changes were approved and implemented in the 6.3.0 release code.

Changes to "Glue for Apply" and the SuperGlue College Adapter

Changes to the Promise Grant Application (BOG)

The 2019-2020 CC Promise Grant Application was updated and deployed to the BOG database in this release. It will be enabled automatically on January 1, 2019 for those colleges who've adopted the online Promise Grant Application. 

Changes to the CCCApply Download Client

 The following data field has been added to the CCCApply Standard & International submitted_applications databases. Please see specific implementation steps to update your Format XML files and download client below.

CCCApply Data Field Information  

The table below provides an overview of all the Race & Ethnicity section data fields in CCCApply Standard, International, and "Glue for Apply".

User Acceptance Testing (Pilot)

User acceptance testing and implementation support for this release is focused on the Race & Ethnicity Implementation 2018. Colleges are encouraged to preview the new implementation in the Pilot Environment on November 20 upon completion of the Pilot deployment activities.  For all release announcements and system alerts, please follow "CCCApply System Alerts" on CCCTechnology.info.

• UAT GOALS & OBJECTIVES 
• UAT SUCCESS CRITERIA
• UAT STEPS
  • Testing in the Pilot Environment
  • Data Field Specifications & Mapping
    

Feedback & Resolution Process 

• Feedback should be categorized as bugs and enhancements. Only Severity 1 issues (issues that prevent critical business functions from being accomplished) will be considered as release blockers.
• Reporting: User feedback should be noted in the result section. The following criteria should be followed and documented:
  • Any identified bugs with severity and priority 
  • Enhancement requests with priority identified

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Data Dictionaries & Release Documentation

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

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 Download Client

The following fields have been added or have been revised in the database. Please see specific implementation steps to update your files and download client below.

No

<race_ethnic>

<race_ethnicity>

OPTIONAL field added to the Majors module in the Administrator. 

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

<race_ethnic_full>

<race_ethnic_full>

OPTIONAL field added to the Majors module in the Administrator. 

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

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 & International Applications

The following changes were implemented in the 6.2.0 release code.

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.  

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Changes to the Promise Grant Application (BOG)

The following changes were implemented in the 6.2.0 release code.

2019-2020 CC Promise Grant Application. 

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