cccapply 2008 annual updates march/april 2008 cccapply & ccctran user workshops 2008 rev. 1d

CCCApply2008 Annual Updates

March/April 2008

CCCApply & CCCTranUser Workshops 2008

Rev. 1d

Overview of 2008 Updates

Over 70 change requests submitted About half of submitted requests approved

by Steering Committee 120-page specification submitted to Xap in

November On CCCApply project website, cccnext.net/cccapply/

More changes to program and test than for any previous annual updates

Updates live on March 24 Urgent changes implemented earlier

Focus of 2008 Updates

New requirements and initiativesDependent vs. independent minors

Omit parent/guardian questions for emancipated or otherwise independent minors

Simplify identification questions/logic

Security: protect student dataAccount integrity

Clarify what a CCCApply account is Minimize students sharing an account Minimize students creating duplicate accounts

Focus of 2008 Updates

Make CCCApply easier to use Simplify account creation Simplify account recovery Improve school finders Improve wording and formatting

Improve SLO surveyUpdate Privacy PolicyMiscellaneous enhancements and

corrections

cont’d

New Requirements: AB668 AB668 requires applicants to sign financial

aid statement 76071. (a) The CCC Chancellor’s Office shall develop a

statement that individual students will be asked to sign, which acknowledges that federal and state funds are available to assist with the costs of college and that information regarding these programs, and assistance in applying for those funds can be obtained at the financial aid office. The chancellor shall request the colleges to require students to sign this acknowledgment in the application for enrollment at all campuses of the California Community Colleges in the next regular local cycle in which those forms are printed and the next regular cycle in which electronic applications are updated.

New Requirements: AB668Statement crafted by CCCCO, added to

Application Submittal page

cont’d

New Requirements: SB272Enrollment priority to veterans for 2 years

after discharge from active duty SB272 effective January 1, 2008

New field for Military Discharge Date Requires adding field to download project Edited against Military Status Implemented November 2007

Foster Youth Success Initiative Statewide initiative for improving and/or

expanding services to ensure the educational success of former and current Foster Youth

Checkbox added to Needs & Interests page Live in October 2007

New download field: ‘Interests – Foster youth’

Dependent Minors: BeforeQuestions on two pages identified

dependent minors Dependent minor status not identified

until Residency 1 if under 19 and Marital Status = decline to state

All unmarried applicants under 19 classified as dependent minors All asked for parent/guardian info No way to identify emancipated minors Emancipated minors, if unmarried, had to

deal with parent/guardian questions

Dependent Minors: Before cont’d

Residency 1 page

Personal Info page

Dependent Minors: NowAll dependent minors identified on

Personal Info pageApplicant under 19 is independent and

not asked about parent/guardian if: Currently or previously married Legally emancipated On active duty in armed services No living parent or guardian Self-supporting for one year

Dependent Minors: Now cont’d

New pop-up help

Dependent Minors: Now

No change to Residency AlgorithmNo change to downloads required

Same ‘over19OrMarried’ field used Field = ‘Yes’ when applicant is:

Over 19 OR married OR otherwise independent

New field for ‘under19Married’ can also be downloaded if desired

Field = ‘Yes’ when applicant is: Under 19 AND (married OR otherwise independent)

cont’d

Security Issue 1

Browser’s ‘back’ function could be used to display CCCApply pages after user had logged off but not closed browser

Solution: CCCApply no longer allows ‘back’ function to display pages after logoff “Please close browser” message removed

from screen that is displayed after logoff

Security Issue 2

Problem encountered when colleges link to CCCApply in new browser windows/tabs User links to CCCApply, logs on, closes

window/tab instead of logging out That user is still logged on when new user links

to CCCApply at same computer New user has access to previous user’s

personal data SSN viewable only in Student Print of submitted app

Security Issue 2

Solution: CCCApply now requires logon whenever a user links from a college website Even if previous user has not logged out, new

user cannot access previous user’s account

Solution: Logoff buttons and prompts significantly enhanced ‘Timeout’ not implemented because a time short

enough to enhance security would be disruptive to users

cont’d

Security Issue 3

Logging off: Students on public computers sometimes forget Walk away from computer without logging off or

closing browser window/tab

Solution: The best we can do is: Provide emphatic logoff prompts Make logoff links more prominent ‘Timeout’ not implemented because a time short

enough to enhance security would be disruptive to users

Security Issue 3 cont’d

Security Issue 3 cont’d

Security Issue 3 cont’d

Clarifying CCCApply Accounts

Users linking from college websites are often uncertain about the account they must log on to or create Most users enter CCCApply this way Often they try to log on to college account

Solution: Enhanced Logon page for students entering via college websites Clearer language about account logon/creation New help link: “What Is CCCApply?”

Clarifying CCCApply Accountscont’d

Clarifying CCCApply Accounts

Pop-up for “What Is CCCApply?” link

cont’d

Clarifying CCCApply Accounts

Welcome email sent after account created

Subj: Welcome to CCCApply

Thank you for creating a user account with CCCApply (www.cccapply.org), the statewide system for online applications to the California Community Colleges. Your account username is “<username>”. Please retain this email in your records in case you forget your username.

You can use this account for applications to most California Community Colleges. Whenever you start a new application, most of it will already be filled out from the data on your previous application if you use this same account. This will make future applications quick and easy.

To preserve your personal information in this account, please do not share this account with anyone (even family members).

Your account also lets you log into CSU Mentor (www.csumentor.edu), the online resource and application website for the California State University system.

cont’d

Account Use Problems

Application histories become confusing if: Multiple users share an account One user has multiple accounts

Creates problems when searching for applicants in Control Center ‘Search for Applicant’ function actually searches

in live account data Searches using data appearing on application

will fail if account has been reused and the searched-on data altered

Account Sharing Solutions

Applicant now cannot change both date of birth and first or last name at the same time Page cannot be saved if both fields have new

values Should catch anyone sharing an account

Determined sharer could change and save one field, then change and save the other

Personal Info page

Subj: Welcome to CCCApply

……

To preserve your personal information in this account, please do not share this account with anyone (even family members).…

Account Sharing Solutions Stronger prompting not to share accounts

Logon page

AccountCreationpage

Welcome email

cont’d

Account Duplication Solutions New accounts checked for likely duplicates

Existing account with same email address or same first name, last name, and date of birth

User prompted to recover existing account

Can choose to proceed with account creation

Simplified Account Creation

Fewer questions (data fields) on Account Creation page Only asks for required account data

User now selects security question from menu rather than typing it in

CCCApply suggests available usernames if username entered is already in use

Simplified Account Recovery Less distracting text on screens User is simply prompted to submit either:

Username and email address First name, last name, and email address

If account found, user is asked security question Prompted to check and correct entries if account

not found If security question is answered, user is

prompted to choose a new password and is then logged in Username displayed on password screen

New Account Recovery Button

Previous links

New buttons

Account Recovery: 1, 2, 31 2

3

Improved School Finders

Applies to High School and College finders Separate paths for U.S. and foreign schools Manual entry for foreign schools

No need to go through finder three times first

Clearer layout and instructions for finding U.S. schools

Improved School Finders cont’d

Branch for U.S. Schools

Improved School Finders cont’d

Branch for Foreign Schools: Straight to Text Entry

‘My Applications’

Application Manager now called ‘My Applications’ Friendlier, more user-oriented Less confusing

Users entering from college websites do not see the Application Manager when they begin

To these users, links to “My Applications” should be more understandable

Applies to all three CCCApply applications: Standard, International, and BOG Waiver

‘My Applications’ cont’d

Confirmation page

Page Navigation ‘Prev.’ and ‘Next’ don’t suggest page is saved

Users told to “save” page may not understand

‘Prev.’ arrow is now ‘Save & Go Back’ ‘Next’ arrow is now ‘Save & Continue’ Applies to all three CCCApply applications:

standard, International, BOG Waiver

Improved SLO Survey Will be presented continuously

Previously spec’d as 6 months on, 6 off

Survey link on Links & Opportunities page made more prominent

Comments section clarified Some applicants used it for questions to colleges

Toggle to Spanish version added Xap published procedure for downloading

survey responses

Improved SLO Survey cont’d

Updated Privacy PolicyExisting Privacy Policy was out of dateRewritten by Steering Committee teamReviewed and revised by CCCCO and

Xap legal counselsFinal approvals expected soon

Should be on live site by May

Residency & Term Start DateCalifornia Residence questions

“In CA for 2 years” question now uses calculated date based on term start date

“Date stay in CA began” is now validated against term start date

Residency & Term Start DateOther Residency questions referenced

to term start date Added term reference bar to Residency 1 and 2

cont’d

Residency & Term Start Date

Must re-answer all questions based on term start date if term is changed Previously possible to submit improperly

validated responses if term changed Reference dates added to Student Print

where they’re used in on-screen prompts Personal Info page Education page Residency pages

cont’d

Date References on Student Print

Miscellaneous Enhancements Logical ordering of applications on My

Applications page By submittal date for submitted apps By last edit date for apps in progress Most recent at top

Both names required for Other Name Used Some students omitted first name if only last name

changed Checkbox added for “no first name”

Miscellaneous Enhancements

Importance of email stressed Explanatory text next to email fields Statement about important emails from

colleges on Application Confirmation page Considering message about Spam filtering

of Xap and college emails – not added for 2008

cont’d

Text Changes Visa/Alien registration prompt on Residency 1

Was: “If you did not specify U.S. citizen, please enter the following:”

Changed to: “If you are not a U.S. citizen, please enter the following:”

FAFSA line on Links & Opportunities Was: “Apply online for the Free Application for

Federal Student Aid” Changed to: “Go to the Free Application for

Federal Student Aid”

Miscellaneous CorrectionsStudent Print now uses submitted rather

than live (account) database Previously always printed most recent app

Addresses validated once per session CASS validation after each save could lead

to redundant confirmation requests and error loops

Summary of 2008 Updates

A range of changes to make CCCApply easier to understand and use

Support for new requirements/initiatives Identification of independent/emancipated

minors Changes addressing the problems of

students sharing accounts and creating duplicate accounts

Significant security enhancements to protect student data

For More InformationComplete specification of 2008 Updates

available on CCCApply project website Explanation for each change request Complete specification for each approved

request Reason for each deferred or declined

request Project website: cccnext.net/cccapply/

Thank youfor attending!