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Release Scope  

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Release Summary & Strategy

The purpose of this release is to deploy the changes to the Race & Ethnicity section in CCCApply (Standard & International) that were originally slated for an earlier release. The extent of the changes includes a revision to the user interface layout (no action required by the college) and an expansion to the number of race groups and ethnicity/ancestry categories that are currently collected in CCCApply. In all, 194 new ethnicity values have been added to the database and display under six high-level race groups in an accordion-style format. Ironically the new layout design takes up less onscreen real estate and there are no data format changes required by the colleges. One new data field ('race_ethnic_full') has been added to the database to capture all the new race group and ethnicity values; however, we have purposely designed this addition to be seamlessly backwards compatible, which means the field is optional and colleges do not need to make any adjustments to their downloads unless they opt to add the new data field when they are ready.  For more information about the impact of this implementation to your CCCApply data, please see the CCCApply UAT: Race & Ethnicity Implementation 2018.

Also in this release:

• An upgrade to the user interface styling across OpenCCC and the CCCApply applications, effectively aligning the look and feel of CCCApply to the CCCMyPath portal. No action is required on the part of the colleges or end users.
• 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 compressed timeline of this release, the Pilot preview period - the time during which the two external facing environments are not in synch for the purpose of giving 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 19 - 9:00AM - 4:00PM (Note the Pilot Site will be down during this release).
• December 7 - 6:00PM - 11:00PM - Production Maintenance Window

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Pilot User Acceptance Testing

UAT and implementation support in the Pilot Environment can begin on November 19 upon the completion of the deployment activities. 

The objectives for college user testing are:  

• 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

Participating Colleges

User acceptance testing will be supported across the three main SIS systems. Support is also available for colleges with custom SIS systems. 

Colleges are being solicited to volunteer for this effort.

Pilot Success Criteria

For the new Race & Ethnicity changes, our goals for pre-release user 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 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.

1. Reference the CCCApply Standard Application Data Dictionary (v.2018.2) Pilot Version
   1. Jump to the Race & Ethnicity section from the Table of Contents (Race Group)
   2. Review the data element specifications for all four Race & Ethnicity section fields:
      1. Hispanic/Latino = <hispanic>
      2. Race Group = <race_group>
      3. Race Ethnicity = <race_ethnic>
      4. Race Ethnicity = <race_ethnicity>  (Note: This field has a different name in the International application) 
      5. NEW Race & Ethnicity Full = <race_ethnic_full>
         
2. Add the new Race & Ethnicity FULL field to your Pilot environment Format XML (CCCApply Standard & International files must be updated separately)
   
   1. Follow the data specs for <race_ethnic_full> in the updated DED (CCCApply Standard Data Dictionary (v.6.3.0)
   2. For CCCApply & International: The new data field has the same name for both application:  <race_ethnic_full>
   3. For help updating your Format Definition file, see the CCCApply Download Client User Guide
3. Update your existing Download Client Jar File with new version (v.6.3.0)
   1. Find and replace the "transfer-client.jar" file in your CCCApply Download Client with the latest version for this release (v.6.3.0).
      1. NOTE: The 'transfer-client.jar" file is the same as the Download Client Jar file.
      2. Refer to the Download Client User Guide for instructions on replacing and running the Jar file for each application in each environment (Pilot and Production).
   2. Run a test download Job in the Pilot environment.
4. Repeat this process for the Production release.

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.

Changes to the Promise Grant Application (BOG)

The following changes were implemented in the 6.3.0 release code.

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.