2016-36: Issues with CCCApply for Non-Credit Students

Problem / Issue

Application is too long - especially for non-English-speaking and noncredit populations

This is a CACCRAO Memo Issue #5. 

One of the issues brought up in the CACCRAO memo from Diane Traversi, College of Marin, was the overwhelming request/need for a separate CCCApply application for Noncredit Programs across the System. This is not a new issue and as recently as last early 2015 it was requested again to the CCCApply Steering Committee that requirements be gathered for a separate admissions application be developed for this population of students. 

• Colleges complain that the application can take up to an hour to complete especially for ESL and noncredit student population.
• Students & college support reps get frustrated and abandon the process.
• This is especially true with non-native, life-long learners and certain cohorts of students such as Public Safety Training, and dual enrollment students.

Concerns we've heard from stakeholders: (e.g., CCC colleges, Steering Committee members, SSSP, CACCRAO, and other CCC departments, programs and organizations) 

• Application is too long for various demographic populations (ESL, seniors, etc.)
• ESL language barriers (not just Spanish-speaking students, but others: Hmong, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc.)
• Computer illiteracy

Steering Response

• Mixed feelings: Survey results say most students think the app is quick, easy
• Issues mostly lie with Seniors, ESL, and Noncredit, and college staff
• Frustrated, colleges create non-compliant, shorter versions of the application,
• Colleges don’t understand the laws and requirements behind CCCApply
  • Residency classification for ALL students
  • Gender, race, ethnicity, parent/guardian, care & control – all mandated by state, federal or CCCCO;
• CCCCO to provide Legal Opinion or official mandate in support of CCCApply

Need to Change the Culture of CCC’s

• All questions in CCCApply are required for ALL students, including noncredit
• Need to help college staff better understand the laws & regulations behind CCCApply
• Need to provide better help & support for students using CCCApply
• Need to provide training for college support staff helping students use CCCApply
• Offer webinars for college support staff on CCCApply

Proposed Solution

In 2014, Steering put a sub-committee together to once again look at the Standard Application and see what questions could be removed in order to shorten the length and gear the language/questions towards noncredit students and programs. However, when the sub-committee consulted with Elias Regalado, CCCCO, relative to residency for noncredit students we were advised that creating a separate application would be a waste of time and resources because 90+% of the current questions apply to noncredit students for the purposes of establishing residency. 

Based on what Steering learned from Elias (CCCCO), many colleges may not be in compliance with this regulation if they are NOT using CCCApply standard application. Colleges that are using a shorter paper application may not be collecting data mandated by state, federal, and CCCCO (residency and MIS requirements). It was requested that a paper-based version of the online application be created and made available to colleges for use when a paper version is needed.

• Produce and maintain a paper-based version of the CCCApply Standard application and make it available for colleges
• Work with the Chancellor's Office Legal to address the noncredit application issue with a Legal Opinion stating that CCCApply is the approved admissions application for all students
• Produce a white paper aligning all the questions in CCCApply to their corresponding state, federal and systemwide mandates
• Publish a “How to Apply using CCCApply ” help page
• Collaborate with students & college support services for better FAQs
• Offer webinars & professional development for College Support Services
• Focus on improved application design & better Help in CCCAppy 3.0

Notes

As specified in the State of California Education Code, Section 68040-T5 54010, and reiterated in the Residency Overview document updated and published annually by Elias and distributed at the CACCRAO annual conference, residency classification shall be made for all student enrollees at the time they submit an application for admissions.  

RESIDENCE CLASSIFICATION EC 68040; T5 54010
Residency classification shall be made for each student, including noncredit-only enrollees, at the time applications for admission are accepted and whenever a student has not been in attendance for more than one semester or quarter. To be clear, if a student misses at least two, not one, semesters or quarters, then he or she must again go through the residence classification process. Summer or other intersessions are not included in this consideration. However, please note that districts can and some do make new residency determinations for students missing only one semester even though not required by Title 5. Whatever is determined by the district in this regard, including a more restrictive policy, should be included in the districts local rules and policies relating to residency determination and should be uniformly administered for all applicable nonresident students.

Supporting Documentation