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