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Release date: 03-27-2015
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Release Date
Friday, March 27, 2015
Release Scope
| Application | Scope | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CCCApply Standard | New Data Fields Bug Fixes Hover Help Text Changes Residency & Validation Logic Education Page Steering Change Requests | |
| BOG | BOG Application | |
| International | International Application |
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| Systems Infrastructure | Systems Infrastructure | |
| Accessibility | Accessibility | |
| Support Services | Support Services | |
| Change Requests | Steering Committee Change Requests |
Release Summary
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Anchor new-fields new-fields
New Data Fields
| new-fields | |
| new-fields |
The CCCApply Steering Committee approved three new data fields to the Standard, BOG, and International applications. All of them are optional and none of them will appear on screen to the applicant. Colleges can add these fields to their Format Definitions XML files and start downloading them right away. To learn more about adding download fields and updating the Download Client transfer-client.jar file in the Downloads section of the User Guides.
IP Address Capture FieldAnchor capture-ip capture-ip
In an effort to protect our colleges against the threat of student financial aid fraud, Steering has approved a request by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Education to capture the IP address of each submitted application through an updated web service and store the data in the submitted_applications tables. A disclosure has been added to the OpenCCCApply Privacy Policy stating that the CCC Technology Center will be collecting this data when the student gives consent at the time of submission. The new data element, ip_address, will be stored in the following db tables:
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Enrollment Campaign Tracking FieldFields Anchor campaign-fields campaign-fields
Correction: Enhancements were made to all three applications to allow colleges to track enrollment campaigns. Up to three unique URL key/value pairs can be integrated into each application using: user1=x, user2=y, and user3=z (where x, y, and z are set to the name of your specific campaign). For example, when you provide an application URL link that includes the campaign value such as this one: https://www.opencccapply.net/cccapply-welcome?cccMisCode=231&user1=x&user2=y&user3=z, the "x,y,z" values are stored in the submitted_applications database and downloaded through your job and format XML files. The data dictionaries and the Download Client have been updated to include the new <campaign1>, <campaign2>, and <campaign3> (hidden) fields.
| Info | ||
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Adding the new data fields to your download file requires: 1) updating your Format XML file, 2) configuring your SIS system to import the new fields; and 3) updating the transfer client jar file, which does not effect your existing download process. Colleges determine which fields they want to download when configuring their format XML; they can choose which fields to include and which fields they don't want to include. For information on adding new fields to your download file, please see the User Guides for details. |
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Anchor Bugs Bugs
Bugs & Fixes
| Bugs | |
| Bugs |
Session Timeout & Screen Readers
Session Timeout Pop-Up: The session timeout message that displays after a certain period of inactivity during OpenCCC Account Creation, or during the Standard, BOG, or International application process has been refactored to work correctly with the following screen reader/OS:web browser combinations:
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| Info | ||
|---|---|---|
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If you identify a bug in the OpenCCC Account system, in the BOG Fee Waiver, or the CCCApply admissions application, we now have a designated support email address and Issue Tracking System to capture and respond to college or staff issues. In an effort to manage support issues more effectively, we are moving away from using the CCCApply Users Listserv for reporting bugs and issues. For fastest response, please post a problem, issue or idea on www.ccctechnology.info during business hours, Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:00pm PST. |
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Anchor hover-help hover-help
Hover Help Text Changes
| hover-help | |
| hover-help |
The following changes addressed missing or incorrect hover help in the Standard application.
- Added the correct hover help language to the 'Financial Assistance' field on the Needs & Interests Page
- Added Spanish hover help text to the Military Discharge Type field
- Updated the English hover help text throughout the Foster Youth Status fields
- Added missing English and Spanish hover help to each of the questions in the Special Residencies Categories section
- Added missing English and Spanish hover help to the Military Discharge Type field
- Updated the Spanish hover help to the College Enrollment Status field
- Added missing English and Spanish hover help to the Social Security Number / Taxpayer Identification Number, SSN Type, and the 'No SSN' fields
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Fix Error Validation for 'Date Stay Began in California' FieldAnchor stay-began stay-began
Colleges are reporting that the question/field for "When did your stay begin in California" has error checking that is preventing students from applying for late-starting courses on their campus. The solution was to fix the third validation on the field <residency:ca_stay_began)> to check the date entered against the current date instead of the <RDD>. Example: Student A arrived in California after the start of the Term <RDD> but is here now. She is applying to "College" for a late-starting course. By changing the validation to check against the current date, she will be able to apply without being refused or forced to use false dates.
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Fix Validation for Visa Type "Other" in Visa Types Table - Logic Fix
The eligibility status for the Visa type "Other" was changed from No to Yes in the Visa Types (Table F), which will set Class A2 and flag 51 in Step 6 of the Area A residency logic. Flag 51 will alert Admissions that the applicant's Visa Type may or may not establish residency and that futher proof, beyond self-reported data, is required.
From Visa Types Table (Table F)
| Db Value | Visa Type | Residency? | Description |
OTHR | Other | No
| May or may not be allowed to establish residency. Requires documentation |
From Area A Residency Logic: Step 6
| Step | Evaluation Statement | Area A Logic | "If Yes" | "If No" |
6 | Does the student have a visa that | visa_type has YES in 'Residency?’ | Class A2 | Class A0 |
Issues Fixed in Residency Area B Logic - Out of State Indicators & Foster Youth Anchor foster foster
Fixed bug in Step 1 of the logic. New logic: If answer is "If No", then set B0 and continue to Step 2.
Fixed bug in Step 4 of the logic. New logic: If answer is "If No", then set B0 and end logic. The status for that area would be B0. If answer is "If Yes", then set Class B2 and go to step 5.
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| Step | Evaluation Statement | Area B Logic | "If Yes" | "If No" |
1 | Do out-of-state indicators support intent? | ca_outside_tax = 0 AND | Go to step 2 | Class B0 |
2 | Has the applicant lived in California for two | ca_res_2_years = 1 | Go to step 5 | Go to step 3 |
3 | Has the applicant been resident in CA for | ca_date_current ≠ null AND | Class B2 | Go to step 4 |
4 | Is the applicant a current or former Foster | ca_foster_youth = Yes | Class B2 | Class B0 |
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Restrict Enrollment Option for Applicants 22 Years or Older (SB11)Anchor concurrent concurrent
Per MIS SB11, students age 22 or older are prohibited from enrolling in high school or lower grades in California. Therefore, we've removed the response option, "1 = Will be enrolled in high school (or lower grade) and college at the same time" from the response options displayed in the College Enrollment Status <enroll_status> and High School Ed Level <hs_ed_level> fields. (Steering approved change request 2014-06B.)
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Solution: Ensure the High School Completion Date field appears ONLY when one of the options above are chosen, and ensure that if they don’t enter the High School Completion Date, they receive the following message: “You must specify your High School Completion Date. If unsure of the exact day, please estimate.”
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Session Timeout Pop-Up for Screen ReadersAnchor session-timeout-screenreaders session-timeout-screenreaders
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| Info | ||||||
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To support the Help Desk with OpenCCC account recovery, a system auto-generated confirmation email will be sent out for each new OpenCCC account created. The email will contain the student's CCCID (California Community College Identification number) and contact information for the OpenCCC Help Desk Account Recovery system. This new feature Is ready to pass code review and will be implemented after a final accessibility review. *Note: This confirmation is for OpenCCC Account Creation only and is not intended to confirm submitted applications. |
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The following corrections were made to the BOG Fee Waiver Application:
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Development of the CCCApply International admissions application has been on hiatus since August 2014; however any changes made in this release that apply to all applications were also made to the International application.
| Info | ||
|---|---|---|
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International Application Development Resumes Development work on the International Application will resume in April and colleges are invited to participate in defining the remaining business requirements needed to release the first iterationsome time in May. The remaining requirements and subsequent testing will follow the Agile development process, which means progress happens through an ongoing series of 3 week development "sprints". During each sprint the development team works on specific tasks and requirements and at the end of the sprint, the team presents their results for feedback to the pilot colleges. This means that ongoing smaller changes and resets can be made to refine the application so that it meets the requirements and accessibility standards by the end of the process. The testing process will also follow the Agile method-: development sprint, test changes, undo or revise changes, and preview to colleges. Testing will require assistance from the pilot colleges. For information about how you can participate, please contact Patty Donohue, Project Manager, donohuepa@cccnext.net. |
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CCCApply is currently undergoing a routine 508 Compliance Audit by the State of California. Early results have allowed us to expedite a series of fixes to several key issues identified when using specific browser + screen reader combinations. To address these issues, we have defined browser/operating systems + screen reader combinations that will be supported and recommended for the best user experience.
| Info | ||||||||||||||
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508 Accessibility Issues Fixed - February 2015 Release
| Anchor | ||||
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The logic around the Session Time-Out functionality has been enhanced to ensure that students using a screen reader to create or edit an OpenCCC Account, or to apply to a CCC using the CCCApply admissions applications, have a clear understanding of when the Session Time-Out has begun and can very easily continue in their session or opt to sign out.
New logic was introduced for Error Validation Pop-Up Readability with Screen Readers
Screen readers now read all error validations and help pop-ups that appear during the application.
Ease of Use in the School Finder Tool with Screen Readers
New development was implemented to enhance the use of the High School and College School Finder tool to ensure the student has a seamless experience if using a screen reader.
Navigation Tab Indicators (Green Check Marks) in the CCCApply admissions applications and the BOG Fee Waiver application are now consistently picked up and read by screen readers.
New Hover Help Implemented to Help with Easability for Accessibility Purposes
We implemented the following hover help changes for students using screen readers:
- Revised hover help messages were added to the College/University and High School School Finder tools to provide clarity and ease-of-use.
- Hover help messages were added in the “Needs & Interests Page"
- The Financial Assistance hover help was enhanced to ensure instructions are clear and easily understood to users utilizing a screen reader.
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Over the past six months, the number of colleges Live on the new CCCApply has doubled, meaning twice as many users are now accessing the servers and submitting applications. To manage this increase efficiently and prepare for the remaining colleges to come on board, we've made some upgrades to our system infrastructure to balance the higher traffic and ensure that our system is always stable and accessible throughout the year.
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| Info | ||
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New QA Environment A new testing environment is being developed to replace our existing QA environment. This site will mirror the production site to ensure continuity for testing and college implementations. We hope to have this new site operational in conjunction with the International application roll-out in late April or early May. |
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To better support the technical needs of Colleges Live or migrating to the new CCCApply applications, a new college support technician and designated support email address are now available to track and respond to staff issues and provide a second tier of IT support to the OpenCCC Help Desk. Colleges should submit bugs, report outages, and request IT-support directly to the new College Support email, Monday through Friday, 8:00am - 4:00pm PST.
CCApply College Support Email: cccapply@openccc.zendesk.com
| Info | ||
|---|---|---|
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New Get Satisfaction Site - 24/7 Online Support Community for California Community Colleges Similar to the student support community CCCHelp.info, a new instance of Get Satisfaction exclusively for California Community Colleges staff and faculty is under development to provide 24/7 online self-help community is being developed for CCC colleges and staff. The site will be populated with official FAQs designed to answer frequently asked questions as well as provide a venue for colleges to receive systems maintenance alerts, submit bugs and change requests, and get work-arounds for known issues relative to the OpenCCC Account system and the CCCApply online admissions applications. . Stay tuned for an update on CCCTechnology.info - coming soon! |
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Anchor change-requests change-requests
Steering Committee Change Requests
| change-requests | |
| change-requests |
The following list of change requests represents only the requests that have been approved or deferred over the past year. I full list of change requests (declined or deferred long-term to be integrated into the uPortal (Student Services Portal) environment will be made available in the CCCApply Annual Development Report on June 30, 2015.in 2014-2015.
| CR Status | DESCRIPTION | RELEASE DATE | TYPE |
| Approved | 2014-06: Restrict Concurrent Enrollment Status for Applicants Over Age 22 | MARCH 2015 | Error Validation |
| Approved | 2014-06: Remove HS Completion Date Fields for Concurrent HS/College Enrollment & HS Ed Levels | MARCH 2015 | Error Validation |
| Approved | 2014-40: OpenCCC Message to Student About UnSubmitted In-progress Application | Under-development | System-generated |
| Deferred* | 2014-48 Residency Issue with DACA Worker Status - Xap | Work-around | Supplemental Question |
| Approved | 2014-52: Enrollment Campaign Tracking | MARCH | New Data Field |
| Deferred - uPortal | 2014-53: Auto-population for Standard App / uPortal | Under-development | |
| Approved | 2014-56: Capture IP Address on Submitted Applications | MARCH | New Data Field |
| Approved | 2014-60: Revise Error Message Language: Under 13 Age Restriction | MARCH | Text / Language |
| Approved | 2014-62: Add CapTel Field for Hearing Impaired - Disability Compliance | Under-development | New Data Field |
| Approved | 2014-64: Create New App-Look Up Report for DOB | 12/5/2014 | |
| Approved | 2014-65: Revise Error Checking in Date Stay Begin in CA | MARCH | Error Validation |
| Deferred - uPortal | 2014-67: Add Social Media Connections to OpenCCC Account Creation | ||
| Approved | 2014-71: Foster Youth Error in Area B Logic Not Ending | MARCH | Logic |
| Deferred - uPortal | 2014-74: Add Link Between OpenCCC and My Applications | ||
| Approved | 2014-75: CCCID On The My Applications Page (Header Upper Right Next to Student Name) | Under-development | |
| Approved | 2014-77: Spanish Hover Help Missing from OpenCCC Account Creation | MARCH | Text / Language |
| Approved | 2014-78: Add Currency Formatter to BOG App Download Format | Under-development | Downloads |
| Approved | 2014-79: Add validation for High School Completion Date field | MARCH | Error Validation |
| Approved | 2015-01: OpenCCC Account Creation Confirmation Email | Under-development | System-generated |
| Deferred | 2015-02: Create a Compliant Paper Application | May 2015 | Text / Language |
| Approved | 2015-03: Submitted Application Confirmation Email | Under-development | System-generated |
| Approved | 2015-04: Add System Requirements & Support Browsers Info to Accessibility Page | Under-development | Text / Language |
| NEW | 2015-05: Add AS-T and AA-T to the Award Types Field | ||
| NEW | 2015-06: Revise Foster Youth Language in Apply per MIS/Legislature | ||
| NEW | 2014-76: Add Alternate (Preferred) Name Field to OpenCCC Account for Transgender | ||
| NEW | 2014-80: Add Transgender to Gender Field | ||
| NEW | 2014-81: Develop Generic Financial Aid Online Application | ||
| Approved | Custom Re-direct URL After Submission | ||
| NEW | Add "No First Name" field available in the Rules section of the Administrator | ||
| NEW | Add language to the Alien Reg field to include USCIS as interchangeable | ||
| NEW | Ask Steering - How are single-name students (Cher, Madonna) handled relative to MIS reporting? |
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Anchor release-info release-info
Release Information
| release-info | |
| release-info |
Why do we schedule releases on Friday evenings?
The reason we schedule releases and other maintenance windows on Friday evenings is to give us the entire weekend to resolve an issue if it arises. Friday evening is a low point in the weekly demand cycle.
As you can see below, normal daily activity drops in the evening. While not the lowest point in the day, combine this with Friday being a significant low activity day heading into the weekend, and add in the benefit of being able to mitigate risk by working on a problem over the weekend, if it arises, and you can see why Friday evening makes sense.
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