CCCApply Sub-Committee: Review Social Security Number Revision

Online Meeting Information

Meeting Information

Date & Time:    Tuesday, December 5, 2019   3:00 pm - 4:00 pm  (Follow Up discussion to review mock-up = December 18, 10:00am)

Location  ZOOM: https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/6770513851      MEETING ID: 677-051-3851


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Agenda

TIMEDESCRIPTION
3:00pm

Introductions: - Attendees please add your name, college, and title in the Chat window


1) Overview and history of the current SSN Question implementation (i.e., Legal Opinion 13-05, historical information, etc.) (10 mins)

2) Overview of the current change request, including new layout and the overarching priority of softening and removing/hiding as much of the legal language from the screen as possible, while still ensuring it is accessible to the applicant via Help modals (20 mins) 
 
3) Review the layout draft from the Foundation team.
Get feedback from college users.
4) Finish by reviewing our current needs list for approval:
  • Need final direction and/or legal opinion from the Chancellor's Office that our language changes and placement proposals are approved
  • Final feedback on layout changes. If more changes are needed, itemize them and determine priority. 

4:00 pm

Schedule F/U Call?  - Close Meeting

Upcoming Meetings: 2019-2020 CCCApply Sub-Committee Meeting Schedule


Issue Summary

The Social Security Number question, that currently appears in the OpenCCC Account system, has long been known as a barrier for applicants; attributing factors include the overall layout design, the look & feel, the legal language, etc. The feedback received from students and colleges is that the legal language is overwhelming and the layout is confusing. Many students, including noncredit students, international students, undocumented, minors, etc, that do not have a SSN, are being forced to navigate through the legal information and penalties information - even though they are legitimate exceptions and are not required to have one or provide one. Although providing a SSN is optional, there are many reasons why students that have a SSN must provide it.

Project Overview

Sub-committee Objectives:

  • Meet with sub-committee to review information collected so far.
  • Review historical legal info (Legal Opinion 13-05).
  • Identify and document stakeholders and needs
  • Gather and document requirements by stakeholder, application, downstream impacts
  • Discuss technical requirements

Feedback / Requirements Needed

  • For Phase II:  Should the SSN be displayed in the NC and IA applications?
  • Should a final revision be made to the question text to include "federal financial aid"


December 18 Meeting Review

  1. Review latest revisions approved by CO: 

    1. proposed plan for phased roll-out 
  2.  Review language regarding "needed for federal financial aid"
  3. Review initial suggestion from Immigrants Rising: 

Requirements for Admissions & Records 


Immigrants Rising Suggestions

  1. In the question prompt sentence, add "However, it is not required for admission."

Full question reads: "The Social Security Number is used as a means of identifying student records and to facilitate federal financial aid. However, it is not required for admission."

2. In the legal language Help modal, add the following text after: “Federal law requires...... with a few exceptions” including students in noncredit classes, international students, undocumented students and nonresident aliens.:

THESE ARE THE EXCEPTIONS; including students enrolled exclusively in noncredit classes, International students, undocumented students, and nonresident aliens."

3. Add a link to nonresident aliens: (the IRS definition seems like a good one: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/taxation-of-nonresident-aliens



Suggestion Options

Yes - I have a Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number (show input fields)

No - I do not have a Social Security Number because I am an International student, undocumented student, nonresident alien, or enrolled exclusively in noncredit classes.

I decline to provide my Social Security Number at this time.

I forget my Social Security Number. I will provide this to the college during registration.


If the student selects: 

No...(display this pop-up)

I decline... (display this language)

I forget...(display this language)

The menu options above would require a change to an existing data field or a new field would be added.  


Just a reminder...

If you have a SSN or TIN, failure to provide it while claiming tax credits for specified education expenses may result in a penalty levied against the student by the IRS in the amount of $100, per year, until the missing or incorrect information is provided  (26 C.F.R.  1-60505-1(e)(4)).


Legal Considerations

Questions

  • What are the legal compliance requirements (privacy)? 
  • Can we move legal language into Help modal?
  • What other legal considerations are there?

Documentation

Legal Information About SSN and Legal Opinion 13-05

IRS definitions of Taxation of Nonresident Aliens: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/taxation-of-nonresident-aliens

IRS definition of International Individuals:   https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-individuals



College Users Feedback Survey

This survey is a work in-progress. Sub-committee will help finalize the questions.  Survey should be shared with multiple communication channels (AR Listserv, CCCApplySteering lisserv, CACCRAO, etc.).

Requirements for Access to In-Progress CCCApply Application Data

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1ys1AY25fDo6WTjS2DlAzFkUkgPmnXjmXocLpif20BTc/edit

 Click here to expand to see CCCApply Redesign Project Objectives...

Fall 2019 Release Recap

(See all Release Notes from past CCCApply releases)

CCCApply Redesign Project

  1. Objectives for FY19/20 are focused on some key goals and themes:

    1. Finish up the CCCApply Redesign Project work -in compliance with AB 3101
      1. Work completed in FY18/19
      2. Work completed in Fall 2019
      3. Work planned for Spring 2020 (see below)
  2. Implement industry-standard design principles and lessons learned from Student Journey Project, Ideas42 study and collaboration with partners (CCC Foundation, CCGI, Immigrants Rising, etc.)
    1. CCC Design Principles  AND  CCC Diagnosis Deck
      1. Student-centric design decisions
      2. Removing Barriers
      3. Student-User testing & feedback
  3. Compliance with state and federal statutory requirements
  4. Continuous maintenance & support

Milestones: Progress Made Addressing Key Concerns

  1. Streamline & shorten admission application
  2. Support noncredit students with residency free application
  3. Delivery mobile-friendly application
  4. Support ESL/Spanish-speaking Students
  5. Deliver data to colleges quicker (including in-progress application data)
  6. Improve OpenCCC Account system (remove barriers)
  7. Continuous improvement - more frequent updates




Spring 2020 Release

2020 Development Roadmap (Tentative Projects for FY19/20)

 Click here to see Spring 2020 Planned Release...

Upcoming Release:  Spring 2020  (Tentative March or April 2020)

Planned Development:

  1. Implement 2020-2021 Promise Grant Application
  2. Internationalize CCCApply to Spanish - Spanish Translation for all CCCApply Applications
  3. Implement new “Highest Grade Completed” question to  Self-reported MMI questions in CCCApply
  4. Enhance CCCApply to share "in-progress application data" with colleges
  5. Integrate with new OpenCCC Account system
    1. Revise SSN question layout & language; move from OpenCCC to CCCApply apps
    2. Move Previous Name field
  6. Update CCCApply.org to mobile-friendlystudent-centric design
  7. Support California Homeless: Remove residency barrier for California Homeless in Address sections 
  8. Support Dual Enrolled Students: Implement skip logic in Colleges Attended section
  9. Support Undocumented / Nonresident Aliens: Remove language barriers across CCCApply
  10. Update Privacy Policy & Terms of Use for full compliance
  11. Streamline language and layout on the Consent & Submission page for mobile view