UAT: Race & Ethnicity Implementation 2018



This UAT Guide is designed to help colleges understand the changes made to the Race & Ethnicity section in CCCApply implemented in December 2018. 

Colleges that want to start downloading the new ethnicity-ancestry responses immediately following the release, should use this guide to add the new data field to their Pilot download file and run a test download job in preparation of the Production release.  For release information, please see the Release 6.3.0 Summary Notes.

For detailed information on the approved change request and tech specifications, see 2018-18R: New Race & Ethnicity Implementation 2018.
For detailed information on the background information and research behind this proposal, see Ethnicity-Ancestry Expansion Proposal
For all release notes, see Release 6.3.0 Summary Notes



UAT GOALS & OBJECTIVES 

The new Race & Ethnicity Implementation is made up of user interface changes (new layout) and a lot of new race and ethnicity response/value checkboxes that display based on the user's selections.

The new values are collected in one new data field ('race_ethnic_full') 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


The objectives for college user testing are:  

  • Ensure colleges are able to download the legacy race group, hispanic, and race ethnicity fields data in the original (unchanged) format by doing nothing to their downloads
  • Ensure colleges can continue to get the legacy data required for MIS reporting;
  • Ensure colleges are able to get the legacy data AND successfully download the new data  <race_ethnic_full>, when they add the new field to their Format XML file and update the jar file
Colleges that want to collect the new data should add the new Race Ethnicity Full data field to their download files and run (replace) the new transfer-client.jar (v.6.3.0.


Participating Colleges

College user acceptance testing will be supported across the three main SIS systems. Support is also available for colleges with custom SIS systems.  Colleges outreach will begin on Monday, November 19, to solicit volunteer IT and Admissions staff members to conduct testing. Reminder, no changes were made to the existing data fields; therefore colleges are not required to take any action relative to the new implementation.


UAT SUCCESS CRITERIA

For the new Race & Ethnicity Implementation 2018, the goals for pre-release user testing are:

  • Colleges can continue to download the legacy data fields and formats without taking any action or making any changes to their files for the following fields:
    • hispanic
    • race_group
    • race_ethnic    (CCCApply Standard)
    • race_ethnicity (International) 
  • 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 field with the 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.


All Changes Are Backwards Compatible - No Actions Required: All the front-end changes (user interface upgrades, race/ethnicity layout) and all back-end changes (194 new race/ethnicity response options and new optional "Full" data field) being implemented in this release are designed to be seamlessly backwards compatible.  Admissions, Financial Aid, and IT staff can rest assured there is no action required by the colleges in this release.



UAT STEPS

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 Pilot CCCApply application 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.

  5. 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>

  6. 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

  7. 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.

  8. Repeat the process for the Production environment.


Repeat this process for your Production application after the production release on December 7, 2018. 



Testing in the Pilot Environment

User acceptance testing and implementation support for colleges in the Pilot Environment can begin on November 20 upon the completion of the Pilot deployment activities. 

CCCApply Pilot Environment

Pilot Application URLs


Data Field Specifications & Mapping




UAT FEEDBACK & RESOLUTION

  • 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




Data Field Information  

For detailed data specifications, please refer to the corresponding application Data Dictionary, as well as the breakdown of change specs in: 2018-18R: New Race & Ethnicity Implementation 2018.  

Data Field NameTypeData ElementFormat / LengthDownloadableReport Center / Admin RulesApplication
Hispanic / LatinoExisting, unchangedhispanicboolean Yes / No / XYesComing SoonCCCApply Standard & International

Race Group

Existing, unchanged

race_group

CSV string

YesComing SoonCCCApply Standard & International

Race Ethnicity

Existing, unchanged

race_ethnic

bpchar, 22 

Yes Coming SoonCCCApply Standard Only

Race Ethnicity

Existing, unchanged

race_ethnicity

bpchar, 22 

Yes Coming SoonCCCApply International Only

Race Ethnicity Full

NEW 

race_ethnic_full

CSV string, no spaces

Yes  (Must be added)Coming SoonCCCApply Standard & International

Race Ethnicity Full

NEW - SuperGlue

raceEthnicFull

CSV string

Yes (Must be added)Coming SoonCCCApply Standard & International

Race Ethnicity Full Data in Glue for Apply 

The new Race & Ethnicity values included in this release will be passed directly to colleges using the Glue for Apply feature. However, the new  full Race & Ethnicity field is not yet available through Glue for Apply at this time. An upcoming release of the SuperGlue College Adaptor will include this new data.

Hispanic

Data Field:  hispanic
Data Element:
<hispanic>

Notes: No changes, this field is a boolean true/false field that continues to work as in previous version

Example Format: boolean (true/false/null)

Race Group

Data Element: <race_group>

Notes: No changes, this field was intentionally left unchanged

Example Format: Apply: "04, 05, 08, 09, 14, 15, 17, 19, 20, 21", International:  "04,05,08,09,14,15,17,19,20,21" (note lack of spaces for Intl)

Maximum Expected Width: 78 characters (unchanged) (20 * 2 character long values + 18 commas + 18 spaces  + 2 surrounding quote marks for CSV delimiting in the output format)

Race Ethnicity

Data Element: <race_ethnic> (Apply) /  <race_ethnicity> (International)

NotesNo changes, this field was intentionally left unchanged

Example Format: YNYNNNNYNNNNNNNNNYNNN

Maximum Expected Width: 22 characters (unchanged) (22 character long string)

Race Ethnicity Full

Data Element: <race_ethnic_full>

Notes: race_ethnic_full is a new field that will store the CSV separated values for all the ethnicity section selections for both the higher level ethnic groups and the associated sub groups as listed above in the chart.

Example Format: "100,101,117,118,200,205,08,09,500,15,600,601,17,19,602,700,701,713,800,802,803"

Maximum Expected Width: 804 characters (201 * 3 character long values + 199 commas + 2 surrounding quote marks for CSV delimiting in the output format)


College Adaptor (SuperGlue) Data Element

For SuperGlue colleges, the new race_ethnic_full data element is called "raceEthnicFull"



UPDATING YOUR DOWNLOAD FILES

To download all the new Race & Ethnicity Full response values in your existing CCCApply download files, you must add the new <race_ethnic_full> field and update the (transfer-client.jar) file for this release (Release 6.3.0).  

Please be sure to backup your files before downloading new ones.

Update the Pilot Download Client Jar File

We recommend adding the fields and updating the Download Client Transfer file in the Pilot environment first before updating your Production Download Client with these fields. 

In your installed Pilot Download Client directory, replace the following files:

    • Replace transfer-client.jar (V6.3) with: transfer-client-V3.jar

Follow the instructions in the Pilot CCCApply Download Client User Guide.


Technical specifications for the Race Ethnicity Full data field can be found in: 

Change Specification:  2018-18R: New Race & Ethnicity Implementation 2018

Data Dictionaries:  CCCApply Standard Application Data Dictionary v.2018.2 

UAT: Race & Ethnicity Implementation 2018


Update the Production Download Client Jar File

To update your Download Client Transfer file for the Production environment, the process is the same as the Pilot environment update. The same jar file is used for both environment. 

In your installed Production Download Client directory, replace the following files:

    • Replace transfer-client.jar (V6.3.0) with: transfer-client-V3.jar

Follow the instructions in the CCCApply Download Client User Guide.

Technical data element specifications for the Race & Ethnicity data fields are listed in the CCCApply Standard Application Data Dictionary V.2018.2