Request No. | 2018-24 |
---|---|
Date of Request | 7.06.18 Revised 10-11-18 |
Requester | Patty Donohue CCCApply Redesign Workgroup CCCApply Steering Committee |
Application(s) | CCCApply (Phase 1) |
Section / Page | Branch at the Enrollment page |
Approval Status | TBD |
Proposed Change to Download File | Yes |
Proposed Change to Residency Logic | Yes |
Problem / Issue
Simplify and streamline CCCApply, with a focus on student-centric workflow and superior online support, and provide colleges access to data more quickly to support on-boarding and overall matriculation process.
- Work with Ideas42 to collaborate in iterative process
- Simplify & streamline across the board: look & feel, questions, flow
- Consolidate and/or remove questions where legally possible
- Translate for non-english users, clarify questions and help
- Get data to colleges quicker
- Remove barriers for non-credit and other special populations (AB3101)
Over the past few months, the CCCApply Redesign Workgroup has been discussing how best to implement a solution to address the requirement changes for non-credit students using CCCApply. Several options have been explored, including:
- Option 1: Creating a separate application completely without residency questions and other non-required fields
- Option 2: Ask the student to self-identify and then branch out or add skip logic to hide questions that are not applicable to the student
- Option 3: Continue to allow colleges to use paper and other outside application methods for non-credit
The Workgroup has called together a sub-committee to review which questions were no longer required now that residency determination is no longer required for non-credit students. One such meeting was held on October 11, 2018, which reviewed the language in the assembly bill and the objectives of the Workgroup, which include:
- Sub-committee - discuss the problem we are trying to solve in a first meeting
Second meeting - do some prototyping - Design process: Think about problem individually without constraints (think outside the box) what would this look like? Compare notes and then discuss
- Understand the audience and identify objectives
- What is the digital equivalent of talking to a counselor or student services staff?
- Is there always a human component then lets give them the right tool (let's find out what the humans are doing and trying to emulate that)
AB3101
AB-3101, Carrillo. Community colleges.
Vote: majority Appropriation: no Fiscal Committee: yes Local Program: yes
Proposed Solution
Sub-Committee Minutes: 10/11/18 Change Request
Hello,
Approximately 25 people were invited and eighteen participants logged on to the 4:00pm Zoom meeting which was not recorded. Below is a summary of what transpired in that meeting, including the agenda presented to the participants and the collaborative discussion that ultimately resulted in the change request outlined below.
Meeting Agenda & Flow of Discussion
The meeting was called to discuss ideas and requirements to revise CCCApply in support of the recently passed Assembly Bill 3101, and specifically to create a workflow path within CCCApply for students seeking to enroll exclusively in non-credit courses (free courses for which no credit is given) within the timeframe expectations required by the Chancellor's Office.
- Review objectives of the CCCApply Redesign Workgroup project and the timeline expectations expressed by the CCCCO.
- Review AB3101 language and implications on A&R to exempt non-credit students from residency determination
- Revise CCCApply to support students seeking to enroll exclusively in non-credit courses
- Streamline the number of questions in CCCApply for all students to remove questions that are not required at the time of application
- Review & discuss a proposal to create two unique workflow paths within the existing CCCApply standard application: Credit vs. Non-Credit "paths" using skip logic
- Review & discuss how to support students transitioning from Non-credit to Credit status within existing CCCApply application
- Review & discuss proposal to streamline CCCApply Standard Application required questions for all students regardless of the workflow path chosen
Note: Also presented to the group was a proposal to use the Education Goal response options - at least in part - to trigger a new "non-credit status" question that could identify/quality the applicant's intention to either enroll in credit courses or non-credit courses based on the ed goal they selected. The ideas was to look at the existing Ed Goal response options to see if they could be revised and/or re-ordered in the dropdown menu, and based on the option selected, display a new question that would confirm whether they intended to enroll in non-credit courses or not. This suggestion also proposed a hyperlink to trigger a "help pop-up box" to clarify the Ed Goal response options.
This proposal to use the Education Goal field was unanimously rejected by the participants that attended the meeting, citing multiple reasons why using the student's self-reported response would not work for determining the applicant's Credit vs Non-Credit enrollment status.
- The existing response options do not include clear options to determine the student's intention for course enrollment in the term being applied for.
- Feedback from students is that the existing response options are too long, too complicated, and they don't read them carefully. Responses tend to be random and uninformed.
- The existing response options would need to be shortened, re-worded, and re-ordered into logical groups if these were to be used in identifying the student's credit vs. non-credit status; and that would need to be approved by MIS.
Change Request Requirements
- The recently passed Assembly Bill 3101 - in accordance with the CCC Chancellor's Office - states that students seeking to enroll exclusively in courses for which no credit is given (free, not-fo-credit courses) will be exempt from the required community college residency determination for the purposes of determining tuition fees;
- The Standard Application should be used for all students: Credit and Non-Credit
For the purpose of supporting AB3101, revise the current CCCApply Standard application to include two unique workflow paths; one for students seeking credits for courses taken (and residency determination), and one for students seeking free, "no-credit" courses, requiring no residency determination; - The application should be revised to include two workflow paths: Credit vs. Non-Credit
The two workflow paths are: - Standard Credit Path:(includes residency determination) - For students seeking credits for courses taken, this path will include a set of standard questions that meet all state, local and federally mandated data collection requirements, and that when calculated upon submission would result in a preliminary residency status for the purposes of determining tuition fees;
- Non-Credit Path:(does not include residency determination) - For students seeking to enroll exclusively in free courses for which no credit is given, this path will include only the questions required to comply with state and federal mandates, and the applicant would be exempt from residency determination.
- Both workflow paths would be as streamlined as possible and would only include the questions required at the time of application (for each enrollment type).
- Add a new question to identify if the student should be presented with the "non-credit" workflow path
In order to identify which workflow path should be displayed to the applicant, a qualifying question should be asked (a new, downloadable data field) at the start of the application process to confirm the student's intention to either earn credits for courses taken, or to exclusively enroll in free courses that result in zero credits/units for course-hours taken; - The new question should be added to the Enrollment page for all students;
- Should appear, ideally, immediately following the "Term Applying For..." question;
- Should be named "Non-Credit Status" and formatted as a Yes/No boolean field;
- If the answer to the qualifying question is Yes, the Non-Credit path should display without residency questions
The response should be worded to identify if the student intends to enroll exclusively in free, not-for-credit courses in the term being applied and if so...- Trigger a workflow "path" for non-credit students that hides questions they don't need to answer including residency questions and is exempt from the residency status calculation/requirement
- Set the residency status field <res_status) to Zero (0) and trigger new integrity flag to admissions staff
- Display a confirmation pop-up and require a response
- Upon clicking "Continue" on the Enrollment page, should display the appropriate workflow path with skip logic as needed
- Implement auto-notification email to college Admissions
- The Non-Credit path should include questions required by state, local & federal mandates, as well as questions required to identify the student
- All questions in the OpenCCC Account would be required to identify the student at the college, for OpenCCC account creation (CCCID) and account recovery, for federal IRS requirement
- All questions on the Enrollment page (Term, Ed Goal, and Major) would be required - as well as the new qualifying Non-Credit Status question
- All questions on the Account Info/Mailing page would be required - including the "Dependency Status" (Minors) question
- All questions on the Education page would be required*
- All questions on the Demographic Information page would be required
- All questions on the Review, Consent & Submit page would be required
- The Non-Credit path should NOT include questions required exclusively to determine residency, or that are not required at the time of application
- The Citizenship & Military page could be removed completely
- The Residency page could be removed completely
- The following questions could be removed from the Needs & Interests page:
- Are you comfortable speaking & reading English?
- Transitioning from Non-Credit to Credit status would require the student to Re-Apply through the Standard Application
- Implement logic to allow non-credit applicants to re-apply to the same college for the same term if needed, if and when they transition from exclusively non-credit to enrolling in "for credit" courses
- The response to the qualifying question will set the student on the standard credit workflow path, displaying all
- The re-application will require the student to answer required questions to determine residency, but will auto-populate all previously submitted responses during the non-credit path
Additional Requirements & Considerations
- Consider adding a visual indicator - in the Submitted Applications and/or Resume Applications tables on the My Applications page so the student can quickly identify Non-Credit applications from Credit Application?
- Ensure the new Non-Credit Status data field is added to the Download Client, Administrator Rules, and Report Center data domain (submitted applications)
- Ensure the all changes are captured and documented correctly in the CCCApply Data Dictionary (YIKES - big job)
- Ensure colleges have 30-60 days preview or if that is not possible - start communicating changes and messaging colleges through screen shots, webinars, recorded videos begin early January 2019
ENSURE THAT....
Students can toggle between the two workflow branches/paths depending on how they answer the new "Non-Credit Status" question and corresponding Confirmation box. Students may find out that htey need to apply as a "Credit" student after starting an application as a Non-Credit student. They would need to go back to the Enrollment page, change their response to the NC Status question, confirm and click "Continue" to view the new workflow path.
Non-Credit Applications still function and adhere to all existing CCCApply standard application pre- and post-submission requirements, logic, and processes; such as:
Non-credit application still start the same way as they do today - from the My Applications page (started or resumed)
Non-credit applications can still be...
- Saved and resumed at any time
- Resumed from the My Applications page
- Auto-populate from previously submitted application data within 2 years of last application submitted
- toggled on or off depending on the response to the Non-Credit Status field on the Enrollment page and a Yes response to the Confirmation modal
- Adhere to all post-submission pages, processes, web services, and activities:
During the Application process (on the NC workflow path)...the student...
- Must still see and respond to the Review App / "Consent to Release Information" / Submit page
- Must still go through the Electronic Signature process (VERY important)
- Must Submit the application
- Must see the Confirmation page with all existing confirmation data (CCCID, confirmation number, etc.)
- Must see the Student Satisfaction Survey
- Must see the Special Links & Opps section
- Must be redirected into MyPath - if implemented
- Must be included in the Download Client, Super Glue Jar files and all data must appear in the Report Center
- All fields must continue to integrate with the Administrator - as current, existing integration logic dictates
Review with Sub-committee -
- Should there be an additional "consent" or confirmation disclaimer on the Consent page or the Submit page to triple check that the student understands that they are not being classified for residency, that they will be classified as a "NC" - which means they are expected to enroll EXCLUSIVELY in non-credit courses and if they change this and enroll/register in any credit courses they must complete the Standard Application again - even for the same term to the same college - in order to be reclassified for residency purposes.
Feedback from Sub-Committee Members
Patty,
Thank you for your work on all of this. I know it isn’t an easy task and I want you to know we value you and the work that you do.
I have a few thoughts, take them or leave them, I’m just trying to think outside the box.
- There was already a lot of “you can’t take that off, we use that” being said yesterday. We have all grown accustom to using the data that is on the application. We are all going to have to learn to change and it isn’t easy.
As I see it, we need to answer two questions when looking to remove a question from the application;
- Is it a mandated question; if yes, then it needs to stay, if not then go to question 2
- Can we identify the student and distinguish him/her from others without that specific information? If yes, we really don’t need the question, even though we may want to keep it.
I know we are in need of removing questions, but what about adding one that will help filter out the questions that are needed for different audiences? Something like:
- What are your goals in the term for which you are applying?
- Enrolling in noncredit course(s) to improve my skills and/or prepare myself for college level coursework
- Enrolling in college credit course(s) while enrolled in high school or adult student
- Enrolling in college credit course(s)
This would not replace the Ed Goal question. That question would still appear for those who are going to take college credit courses.
When we are ready to go live with the new version of the application with the noncredit adjustments, I think it would be important to share that this is a temporary fix. That we will be looking into a separate noncredit application in the future. However, in the time allowed it was not possible to develop a new application.
Leigh Ann
Leigh Ann Unger, MBA
Director of Admissions and Records/Registrar
Action Items
- Implement a new question to identify which workflow path should be displayed to the applicant: (Credit vs. Non-Credit). Leigh Ann Unger, Rio Hondo College, suggested the following language:
What are your goals in the term for which you are applying?
- Enrolling in noncredit course(s) to improve my skills and/or prepare myself for college level coursework
- Enrolling in college credit course(s) while enrolled in high school or adult student
- Enrolling in college credit course(s)
This would not replace the Education Goal question.
Concerns:
- If we phrase the question as proposed above, we wouldn't be able to implement a straight-up Yes/No question. Or, instead of a multi-choice radial buttons - phrase the question like: "Do any of the following pertain to you?" So that we can get a Y/N response.
- Language in the question needs to be determined and approved.
- Do we need to clarify or confirm the student's goal for this term specify??
- Concurrent enrollment - should we ask if the applicant is also enrolled in high school
NOTE: On Friday, October 12 - Patty met with Mitch Leahy from Santa Rosa College, who was copied on the email message from Leigh Ann Unger. He suggested the following revision to her question language:
What is your immediate goal for attending college?
- To enroll in college credit course(s)
- To enroll in college credit course(s) while enrolled in high school or adult student
- To enroll in college courses for Pass / No Pass (no units)
- To enroll exclusively in free non-credit course(s) to improve my skills and/or prepare myself for college level coursework
2) Confirm the questions that should and should NOT be displayed in each workflow path.
Per the sub-committee discussion on Thursday, October 11, the following pages could be removed completely for Non-Credit Path:
- Citizenship/Military
- Residency
During the sub-committee meeting, we reviewed each page in the Standard Application and specifically discussed the questions that have been pegged to be removed (not confirmed) by the Workgroup.
- They agreed that all questions on the Enrollment page should remain and SHOULD be collected for both Credit and Non-Credit students (all applicants)
- They strongly believe that all the questions on the Education page remain and SHOULD be collected for both Credit and Non-Credit students.
- They agreed that the Citizenship/Military page is totally related to residency and therefore could be removed from the Non-Credit path.
- They agreed that the Residency page could be removed from the Non-Credit path.
- They agree that there are several questions on the Needs & Interest page that could be removed.
- They agree that all questions on the Demographic Info page must remain and SHOULD be collected for both Credit and Non-Credit students.
Sub-Committee Meetings
Meeting Date | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|
9.14.18 Workgroup Meeting: |
See the shared Google doc notes from 9.14.18 Workgroup meeting: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10b6RYMhoLnLPMs2axePDrYZfoYhsPYeKBPS9BsqZ1fo/edit | ||
10.11.18 Sub-Committee Discussion | Zoom Chat transcript: 16:07:39 From Mitch Leahy : One thing we will need answered before we revise the app: if non-credit students do not have to complete residency, are they prevented from taking credit courses WITHOUT completing a credit application first? 16:10:25 From Alejandra Pena : Will this presentation be sent via email as well 16:10:37 From Mitch Leahy : Another thing- if we use the same app for both credit and non-credit, we need to give non-credit the ability to submit a credit app for the same term after they previously applied for non-credit. 16:12:03 From Mitch Leahy : If SIS systems are not prepared for credit and non-credit apps, credit students could be self selecting as non-credit students. Then, they could be enrolling in credit courses without having residency collected. 16:55:29 From Ali Salinas (Riverside City) : Can that question be asked before the Ed Goal, so it can then filter the ed goal so it only displays non-credit ed goals? 16:57:10 From Ali Salinas (Riverside City) : I agree. The Y/N question needs to show for everyone. 17:06:20 From Ali Salinas (Riverside City) : Ed goal won't work. 17:09:11 From Ali Salinas (Riverside City) : Thanks, Patty! 17:09:36 From Alejandra Pena : Thank you 17:09:47 From Patty Donohue : Thank you ALL! |
Supporting Documentation
April 2018: Response to AB3101 (before it passed)
Letter to Governor AB 3101 (Carrillo) - Request for Signature.pdf
/wiki/spaces/OPENAPPLY/pages/723812439
/wiki/spaces/OPENAPPLY/pages/723779690
More: CCCApply Low-Hanging Fruit 2018 Slide deck
See pages, docs & sections dedicated to the Redesign efforts
See "CCCApply Redesign Project" summary and Google drive for ongoing effort to support AB3101
Challenge to create a question that can identify this population
What is your goal in attending college? Approach