ctcLink Learning Opportunities & Support Roundup: Dec. 20, 2023
A weekly round-up of ctcLink learning opportunities, ctcLink support updates, and news for Washington state community and technical college ctcLink users.
See you next year! Watch for the next edition Jan. 10, 2024.
If you have questions or suggestions for future editions, contact ctcLink News or slnelson@sbctc.edu.
What ctcLink learning opportunities are available?
ctcLink Support eLists
ctcLink Customer Support teams send notifications of learning opportunities (including trainings, work sessions, user acceptance testing, and more), as well as global and cross-pillar system communications to the applicable ctcLink Support eLists (aka listservs) on a regular basis.
If you are a ctcLink end-user, and not already hearing about learning opportunities firsthand, join one or more support lists today: ctcLink Support eLists
Training calendar
Find the latest learning opportunities, including notices of cancellation or schedule changes, on the ctcLink Training page or on the SBCTC meetings and events calendar (apply filters).
Take a training tour
View the ctcLink Training Overview video for a quick online tour of resources. To view it in full screen, select box icon in the upper right corner.
Learning Opportunities & Work Sessions Ahead
To plan further ahead or find the latest learning opportunities, as well as notices of cancellation or schedule changes, see the complete calendar at the ctcLink Training page or on the SBCTC meetings and events calendar (apply filters).
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| ctcLink Training Quick Reference Guides | The ctcLink Training Quick Reference Guides (QRGs) in the ctcLink Reference Center lists and links to recordings of sessions delivered by the Training Team. |
| Work Sessions in Canvas | The Work Session Canvas Course lists and links to recordings of sessions, including CS Core-offered Work Sessions. Register for the course(s) at ctcLink Training Registration. |
| ctcLink Security Documentation & Training | Find ctcLink Security-related training materials, documentation, Quick Reference Guides (QRGs), useful queries, and more on the ctcLink Security Documentation & Training page. |
| Accessibility and ctcLink Open Forums | SBCTC hosts monthly Accessibility and ctcLink Open Forums to engage Washington's community and technical college system in discussions around ctcLink accessibility and technology. Find materials and recordings from past ctcLink Accessibility Forums on the website. |
ctcLink News
Enhancement Requests Recently Deployed
Finance ER 192 - Add Supplier Email Address to PO Forms, deployed Dec. 13, 2023
Added the Supplier Contact’s email address to printed Purchase Orders. The college requested the email address either be printed in the box labeled “Dispatch Via Print” replacing the FAX number, which is not used, or under the Supplier Contact Information, which is below the “Dispatch Via Print" box.
Campus Solutions ER 243 – Changes to Term Category Values, deployed Dec. 15, 2023
To prevent users from using incorrect Term Category values, delivered Term Category values that are not used by the ctcLink system will be inactivated with an effective date 01/01/1901 in the TERM_CATEGORY table (PeopleTools > Utilities > Administration > Maintain Translate Values). Two Term Category values will be left active: “Regular Term” and “Summer Term.”
Enhancement Requests Currently in Testing
- ER 158 – FWL Employee Record Look Up
- ER 166 – CampusCE Search/Match Parameter
- ER 190 - Customization of ACH Payment Advice
- ER 193 – Second Journal Set
- ER 197 – New Hire Onboarding Improvements
- ER 238 - OAAP Search Match
- ER 248 - (FYI) New Accounts and Account Name Change
Changes Announced for Recurrences (Recurring Jobs & Processes) in ctcLink
ctcLink Customer Support sent an important message to the CS, FIN, HCM, FA, SF support lists and their related commissions/council on Friday, Dec. 15, 2023.
Because ctcLink is a shared resource, overall improvements to system performance help everyone, so we are pleased to announce improvements in recurrences in the ctcLink pillars. A dedicated cross-pillar team strategized and developed these changes to improve your experience using ctcLink recurrences.
What’s different?
- How to use recurrences in ctcLink. See the new Job Scheduling and Recurrences Process Overview QRG checklist, which includes best practices for how to schedule processes, standardized recurrence definitions, and system considerations and impacts.
- New recurrence definitions. SBCTC implemented a consistent and descriptive naming convention to minimize clutter and confusion.
- What you need to do at your college or in your SBCTC department.
- Jobs Currently Scheduled and Running web page will be updated as needed.
Impacts of the change
While the HCM, FSCM, and CS pillars will be affected, the biggest impact for college employees will be in the CS pillar. Most of the processes running on recurrence in the HCM and FSCM pillars are handled by SBCTC.
CS, FA, and SF users will notice changes, particularly those who:
- Schedule processes and Jobs to run on a repeating basis.
- Currently have recurrences scheduled because colleges will need to do some clean-up.
- May be interested in using recurrences in the future and want to understand impacts.
Per-pillar access will not change, and CS users will have certain recurrence setup options that are not available to HCM and FSCM users due to centralized, sequential processes.
Timeline
- The Job Scheduling and Recurrences Process Overview QRG and new recurrence definitions were published Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023.
- Old recurrence definitions will be removed on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
- Colleges will need to complete any clean-up by Feb. 14, 2024.
What do I need to do at my college or SBCTC department?
Please notify and work together with employees who may be impacted at your college or SBCTC department about the upcoming changes:
- Jobs and JobSets currently running on a recurrence will need to be canceled and restarted
using one of the new options:
- You can use the following queries in the CS pillar to help identify what is currently
running on recurrence:
- QCS_PT_RECURRING_PROCESSES
- QCS_PT_RECURRING_JOBSETS
- The CS Recurrence Definition Mapping Guide can help users select an equivalent option.
- You can use the following queries in the CS pillar to help identify what is currently
running on recurrence:
- Update any internal documentation to reflect these changes.
If none of the new recurrence definitions meet your needs:
- Submit a ticket to your pillar support team to request a new one be created:
- Campus Solutions (CS) Core: ctcLink Support > Campus Solutions > Other Campus Solutions
- Financial Aid (FA): ctcLink Support > Financial Aid > Other Financial Aid
- Student Financials (SF): ctcLink Support > Student Financials > Other Student Financials
- ctcLink Reporting (Queries/Reports): SBCTC Data Services > ctcLink Reporting > Other ctcLink Reporting
- Be sure your ticket includes:
- A business justification for why none of the existing options meet your needs.
- Specific times your process needs to run.
Questions?
- If you have technical questions, please submit a ticket.
- If you have general questions, contact Dani Bundy, ctcLink Customer Support Director, or Roger Curry, College Relations and Triage Manager.
Are You Receiving ctcLinkAlerts?
SBCTC uses the ctcLinkAlerts eList to send notices about planned downtime for system updates, production alerts, urgent issues, and any unplanned downtime.
Each college maintains a local ctcLinkAlerts email distribution list (e.g., ctclinkalerts@columbiabasin.edu, ctcLinkAlerts@spscc.edu) which your ctcLink College Leader maintains as needed.
These college lists, not individuals, are subscribed to ctcLinkAlerts@lists.ctc.edu.
It’s each college’s choice who to include, but typically colleges include their local ctcLink leadership, local ctcLink committee or taskforce members, key subject matter experts, IT, Help Desk, and PIO.
Online Admissions Application Portal (OAAP) Enhancement Requests
The following Enhancement Request (ERs) were approved by the ctcLink Working Group:
- ER 169 – OAAP Improvements from ARC
- ER 178 – OAAP Email to ctcLink
- ER 183 – OAAP Buttons, Supplemental Questions, and Suspense Updates
- ER 184 – OAAP Residency Updates
- ER 212 – OAAP Admin and Student Sections
- ER 237 – OAAP Citizenship
Work is currently underway for Priority 1 (Residency & Citizenship) which includes some crossover between ERs 169, 184, and 237. Campus Solutions staff met with the college OAAP Subcommittee to discuss citizenship values and question logic. The next meeting will be Jan. 8, 2024, and the conversation will continue around these topics.
Changes to Term Category Values (ER 243)
To support the new National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) reporting logic and improve user experience, changes will be made to the Term Category translate table to inactivate term category values not utilized by our system. Users familiar with set-up pages like the Term/Session Table or the Service Indicator Table will notice fewer selectable options in Term Category dropdown fields.
A detailed email was sent to CS Support list on Oct. 19, 2023. Additional information about changes to the Term/ Session Table and NSC Reporting processes will be sent to both the ctcLink_POC (ctcLink College Leader/Point of Contact) and ctcLink CS Support distribution lists.
Part 1 Complete Oct. 20, 2023
All Term Category values not currently in use anywhere in ctcLink were inactivated. This includes values such as 1st Semester, Summer Session AUS, Winter Session AUS, Medical Clinical, Intersession Term, Medical Level 1, and Winter Term.
Part 2 – Deployed Dec. 15, 2023
“Full Year” and “2nd Semester” are currently being used on the Service Indicator Table (5 records) and FA Item Types page (7 records). CS Core Support and FA Support will work with colleges using these values to remove them before inactivating the “Full Year” and “2nd Semester” Term Category values.
In addition, the Maintaining the Term/Session Table QRG and Generating a National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) Report QRG will be updated to reflect the updated Term Category selections.
CS Core Learning Opportunities
CS Core Training
Faculty Center Refresher: Using Faculty Center to Enter Grades
Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, 8:30 to 10 a.m.
Add "Faculty Center Refresher: Using Faculty Center to Enter Grades" to your calendar.
Not many faculty members are on the CS Support listserv, so please help us ensure they know about this opportunity. Please share this invitation with faculty on your campus.
Join us for this Faculty Center refresher to prepare for the end of the winter 2024 term. During this session, we will discuss the grading process and the separation of duties between Enrollment Services and Faculty. In addition, we will offer some helpful hints about grade rosters.
The PeopleSoft Faculty Center offers a central location for faculty members to:
- manage class and student-related activities
- view their teaching schedule by term and access class and grade rosters
- record student grades
Objectives
- Access Faculty Center
- Grade Roster Availability
- Enter Student Grades/ Approve the Roster
- Helpful Hints
Contact Tanjagay Martin, ctcLink Functional Trainer, with questions.
CS Core Work Sessions
Campus Solutions (CS) Core Work Sessions, open to ALL end users, are held the first Thursday of each month, from 1 to 3 p.m. The CS Functional Support team facilitates, alternating between functional team delivered content and college user delivered content with functional team support. Each meeting includes time for colleges to ask questions about other topics or service tickets. Find details on the SBCTC Calendar and in the CS Core Weeklyish COREspondence (sent on Fridays to the CSSupport listserv).
CS Core Work Session: This Time, It’s Personal
Jan. 4, 2024, 1-3 p.m., Join Webex
Add Work Session: This Time, It’s Personal to your calendar
By now, we hope that you’ve gotten somewhat comfortable with how to do your work in PeopleSoft. As a system, we’ve done the hard parts of moving and unpacking; now for the more fun part: decorating your new home with a personal touch!
Mandy Mineard and Michelle Kuwasaki will lead you through setting up “shortcuts” by favoriting your frequently-used navigations, creating your own homepage (or homepages), setting your User Defaults, and making use of SpeedKeys.
A few pages are magical, letting you change the order in which fields are displayed to an order that works for you. And, because you are frequently in PCD (since you’d never test in PRD), we’ll show you how you can visibly alert yourself as to which environment you are currently using. We also know about a few useful extensions. You may have stumbled on some tips and tricks we haven’t! We look forward to learning from you, too.
FIN Learning Opportunities
FIN Training
Second Journal Set (SJS) Updates: Information Sessions for SF & FIN Users
In February 2024, the SJS process will transition to nightly automation, streamlining operations by eliminating manual intervention. SBCTC will host four repeat one-hour sessions about the upcoming changes.
- Who should attend? Staff involved with Second Journal Set processing, Grant budgets and reimbursement, and SF/Finance Management are strongly encouraged to attend.
- Topics: Learn about the SJS updates, get a sneak peek of changes users will see (Second Journal Set PowerPoint), participate in a question-and-answer session, and find out how to join user acceptance testing (UAT) starting in early January.
Final repeat session tomorrow: Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023, 4 pm: Join Session 4 Webex
The session will be recorded and posted to Second Journal Set Canvas site within the Work Session Information course.
Contact Caitlin Stein, Test Coordinator, with questions.
FIN Work Sessions
Finance (FIN) Meetings
Finance (FIN) meetings are held every Tuesday, from 2 to 3 p.m. The Finance Functional team provides updates on Service Tickets, PeopleSoft enhancements, and open forum time to ask questions or request future topics. This session is open to ALL Finance end users.
In Case You Missed It: 1099 Processing Fiscal Year 2023
As this calendar year ends, colleges are gathering information to report various types of income other than wages and/or salaries. Last week, Sonali Bihari, SBCTC Senior Functional Analyst, walked attendees through this process. Topics covered included:
- Introduction to 1099 Processing: Review 1099 setup, 1099 tasks throughout the year
- Post Withholdings: Review, correct, and adjust 1099 items
- Running Withholding Report Post and Producing 1099 Copy B Reports: Completing 1099 processing for the year
In case you missed the session, please see the recording and materials for the 1099 Processing Fiscal Year 2023 session:
- Recording: 1099 Processing Fiscal Year 2023 Finance Work Session (one hour, 11 minutes)
- Slide Deck: 1099 Processing Fiscal Year 2023 Finance Work Session
- 1099 Work Document Processing Guide 2023
To access the recording and documents, you must sign up for the ctcLink Work Session Information Canvas Course. Sign up for “ctcLink Pillar Work Session” at the ctcLink Training Registration form or send Karen Ebert a message and she will sign you up manually.
For questions regarding the 1099 process, contact Sonali Bihari.
Federal Financial Aid Simplification Update
SBCTC ctcLink Update
As soon as the SBCTC ctcLink support teams receive the federal regulation updates (Oracle’s current target date Jan. 31, 2024), they will work hard to implement, test, and vet the code in ctcLink to be ready within 30 days of receiving the new configuration.
NASFAA update
The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) published an update Dec. 18, 2023 with wide-ranging insights and advice about outreach to students and families, onboarding and training staff, preparing for the launch, and community support.
Some highlights are listed below. Read the complete article: Down to the Wire: Questions and Concerns Loom Over New FAFSA
Anxiety, tension, stress, and nervousness are the current emotions many financial aid professionals are feeling day-to-day as the launch of the 2024-25 FAFSA inches closer. By the end of this month, Federal Student Aid (FSA) will launch the 2024-25 FAFSA, which comes with major changes to the federal methodology and processes, leaving aid offices in limbo about training, vendors, staffing shortages, burnout, and more.
Aid administrators are still very nervous about whether the Department of Education (ED) will be able to hold to the timeline we have been given and if everything will go smoothly once we go live with processing, they are still bracing themselves for the next set of twists and turns.
FSA announced in November that the 2024-25 FAFSA would launch by Dec. 31, 2023, to meet the statutory requirement that the form must be available by Jan. 1, 2024. However, aid offices are still concerned with the timeline of the launch, specifically because institutions will not immediately begin receiving Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs). ED said those will come by the end of January 2024.
Financial aid professionals have expressed many concerns with several logistical issues, such as how to train staff on new guidance and onboard new financial aid professionals, how to communicate these changes not just with students and families, but their own campus officials, and much more.
Students will be affected the most, said one aid director, because aid offers cannot go out the door until the processes are available and tested, and they cannot trigger these activities until the final FAFSA is available and records are sent to schools. He said they likely won’t be able to get aid offers out until late February or early March, and unfortunately, the burden will fall on already short-staffed aid offices to help families work through the confusion.
Aid offices have access to member-submitted FAFSA simplification communication samples, along with other FAFSA simplification tools and resources through NASFAA, as well as trainings and webinars provided by ED.
FA Learning Opportunities
Financial Aid (FA) Work Sessions
Financial Aid (FA) Work Session meetings are on the fourth Thursdays, from 1 to 3 p.m. The FA Functional Support team facilitates alternating between functional team delivered content and college user delivered content with the support of the FA functional team. The end of each meeting is open for colleges to ask questions about the topic presented. These sessions are open to ALL end users.
Check out a New FA process! NSLDS Transfer Monitoring Using Term-Based User Edit Messages (UEMs)
Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023, 9 to 11 a.m.
Join Webex | Meeting number (access code): 2591 617 9530 | Password: FATraining2023
This session is a repeat by popular demand. Join us to review a new process Spokane Falls Community College piloted for the 2023 academic year and which they report works beautifully!
You may bring your specific examples, so we can help answer general questions on the process, and work through some examples that are not already in tickets. If a ticket is necessary, we can guide on that in this session.
Prior to using UEMs for National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) Transfer Monitoring, colleges found it challenging and cumbersome to track the history of NSLDS Transfer Monitoring checklist assignment. Now, using UEMs, you can track the history of assigned and resolved UEMs, and assign UEMs for Transfer Monitoring per term.
Objectives:
- Understand the steps in the Transfer Monitoring/FAH Process:
- Assign NSLDS UEMs
- Process NSLDS Transfer/FAH Monitoring
- Upload/Download File Process
- Import Federal Data Files
- Process NSLDS Files
- Review NSLDS Flagged Students
- Run NSLDS Push
- Resolve NSLDS UEM
Questions? Contact Kelly Forsberg, ctcLink Functional Trainer, Financial Aid.
Intermediate Loan Processing - Loan Troubleshooting
Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, 9 to 11 a.m.
Join Webex | Meeting number (access code): 2661 966 6528 | Password: 2024FATrainings
By popular request, we’ve added this learning opportunity for staff responsible for awarding/managing the Direct Loan program.
Understand how to work varying examples from the following reports:
- Loans on Hold Report
- Origination Hold
- Origination Changes Hold
- Rejected Originations Report
- Disbursement Errors Report
Understand which ctcLink pages to navigate and how to read and update them when troubleshooting loan reject and loans on hold messages:
- View Loan Processing Actions page
- View COD Data page
- Hold/Suspend Change Data page
- Override Loan Data page
- Override Processing Status page
Questions? Contact Kelly Forsberg, ctcLink Functional Trainer, Financial Aid.
Intermediate Pell Processing - Pell Troubleshooting
Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, 9 to 11 a.m.
Join Webex | Meeting number (access code): 2661 966 6528 | Password: 2024FATrainings
By popular request, we’ve added this learning opportunity for staff responsible for managing Pell payment are encouraged to attend.
Understand how to read and work examples in the Pell Reports:
- Pell Records by Transaction Status
- Pell Records by Status
- Pell Origination Validation Report
- Pell Disbursement Validation Report
- Pell Disbursement Status Report
Understand how to perform Pell troubleshooting using various pages in ctcLink:
- View COD Data page
- Manage Pell Payment page
Questions? Contact Kelly Forsberg, ctcLink Functional Trainer, Financial Aid.
HCM Learning Opportunities
HCM Work Session Meetings
Human Capital Management (HCM) meetings are held every other Wednesday, from 1 to 3 p.m. The HCM Functional team along with the training team offers Work Sessions and Training Sessions around the different functionality in HCM.
HCM Work Session: Data Preparation for Year-End Reporting (W-2 forms) – PART 2
The Dec. 13, 2023, recording is now available in the ctcLink Pillar Work Session Information Canvas course.
In addition to the recording, the page includes links to the agenda, QRGs referenced and Query names mentioned during this presentation by Irena Marinova, HCM Support.
The direct link will take you to the Canvas sign-on page first, then right to HCM work session: data prep for year-end reporting (W-2 forms) part 2 page where you can select either the recording link to open in a new window or click the play button to open the recording in the same window.
Contact Jerry Lambert, ctcLink Functional Trainer – HCM, if you have any questions or issues with the recording.
Making an SF list, Checking it Twice
The SBCTC SF team expresses its heartfelt gratitude to each of you for your unwavering dedication and hard work. Thank you all for everything you do to make the SF world a better place!
1098T Statements
- New address type for the TIN Table page is “SF_1098T.”
- Select this to include all possible address types when processing.
- The next 1098T training session is Monday, Jan. 8, 2024.
- Recordings and slide decks for the first three 1098T trainings are available in the 2023 1098-Ts Work Session recording and slide decks in Canvas.
- REMINDER: The 1098T statement processing deadline is January 9; then, the printed statement file is due to SBCTC. Now is an ideal time to send electronic consent communications and test item type/statement processing configurations.
- 2023 statement template into the Production environment Dec. 15, 2023 (production runs are to happen after the first of the year.)
Second Journal Sets
- The college information session series has begun, and it's important to participate. The final session is Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023, at 4 p.m.
- Staff involved in Second Journal Set processing, Grant budgets and reimbursement, and SF/Finance Management are strongly encouraged to attend one of the sessions.
- See more below.
Winter & Spring Term Rollover
Time for Tuition Calculation? (The prior term is turned off after the first 2 weeks automatically.)
- Ensure fees from fall are rolled, and payment plans are set up.
- Use the Term Rollover Checklist or our latest training video in the ctcLink Reference Center.
- Submit a ticket when Winter term is ready for nightly tuition calculation jobs.
Collection Agreement vs. Payment Plan
- We will be moving away from using the ctcLink Collection Agreement page functionality.
- Watch for more information on this issue and learn more about using Payment Plans during the Collections Fundamentals training Monday, Jan. 22, 2024.
College & SF Team Ticket SMACKDOWN
- We are offering weekly two-hour meeting windows for colleges to collaborate on active tickets with our team.
- This designated time will focus on real-time ticket problem-solving to enhance knowledge and foster better understanding.
- Throw your hat in the ring and sign up/set up a time, just ask via sfsupport@sbctc.edu
Helpful SF Tips and Tricks to Keep in Mind
Course List Fees & Tuition Groups
When modifying course lists by adding new effective-dated rows, ensure that the corresponding tuition groups linked to those course lists also have new matching effective-dated rows.
Solar Winds & Tickets
- Submit detailed tickets for faster resolution.
- Clear, concise tickets with proper screenshots (if needed) are solved faster.
- For complex tickets, seek a second opinion whether accurate information has been included.
- Avoid ticket duplication by double-checking your outstanding ticket requests.
Third-party software updates for staff changes (CyberSource/NELNET/Bank Mobile)
Please take time to review/update the main point of contact and communications for all your third-party vendors; especially those that impact cash flow.
Also, make sure any outstanding important dates are “calendared” and shared between more than one person as assurance. Consider adding more staff or a distribution list on third-party software update/communication emails.
Run Controls
- Don’t forget! ctcLink updates and configuration changes happen all the time.
- Make sure that processes that have often used Run Controls are updated to handle any new configuration (like new item types and the batch refund process.)
SF Learning Opportunities
Student Financials (SF) Work Sessions
Student Financials (SF) support team is delivering a five-part work session covering the 1098T statement process. These monthly sessions started in October and will conclude in February 2024. Stay informed by joining the Student Financials eList to receive reminders about training, session recordings, and other updates from the Student Financials team.
Second Journal Set (SJS) Updates: Information Sessions for SF & FIN Users
In February 2024, the SJS process will transition to nightly automation, streamlining operations by eliminating manual intervention. SBCTC will host four repeat one-hour sessions about the upcoming changes.
- Who should attend? Staff involved with Second Journal Set processing, Grant budgets and reimbursement, and SF/Finance Management are strongly encouraged to attend.
- Topics: Learn about the SJS updates, get a sneak peek of changes users will see (Second Journal Set PowerPoint), participate in a question-and-answer session, and find out how to join user acceptance testing (UAT) starting in early January.
Final repeat session tomorrow: Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023, 4 pm: Join Session 4 Webex
The session will be recorded and posted to Second Journal Set Canvas site within the Work Session Information course
Contact Caitlin Stein, Test Coordinator, with questions.
Student Financials (SF) Training
SF Training: Collections Fundamentals
Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, 8-10 am.
Student Financials Collections Processors are invited to learn about Collections basics including:
- Collections Guide
- Pre-Collections
- Processing Collections
- Post-Collections
- Collections Communications
Related QRG: SF Collections
Prerequisite Course: SF105 Collections
This session will be recorded and added to the SF105 Canvas Course under the Additional Resources modules. Please note: to access training recordings, the specific Canvas Course needs to be completed. Register for SBCTC Canvas Courses through the Accessing ctcLink Courses on Canvas page.
Contact Alec Risk, SBCTC Student Financials Functional Trainer.
Legacy Transcript GPA Calculation Update & User Acceptance Testing
The Legacy Transcript team has been working on finalizing a new production release of the application. This new release will:
- Change the GPA calculation so it matches what was in the Legacy HP-UX system. In Legacy, Grade Points were calculated to a single decimal place and in the new Legacy Transcript application Grade Points have been calculated to two decimal places. In some cases, this may have resulted in a slight difference in GPA for some students.
- Ensure GPA values from the new Legacy Transcript application match what was calculated in the Legacy HP-UX system.
Colleges are invited to test and validate the change
Now that this change passed SBCTC’s internal test phase, the colleges are invited to test and validate the change.
All colleges are encouraged to participate in validation. If a college declines to participate in validation, the college is giving approval for the change to move to production based on validation completed by the rest of the community.
Important dates
- Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023 – Friday, Jan. 5, 2024: College users enter service desk tickets with SIDs
- Monday, Jan. 8 – Friday, Jan. 12, 2024: Legacy Transcript team review
- Monday, Jan. 15 – Friday, Jan. 19, 2024: College user review of data provided and acceptance
How to get involved
We are providing colleges with an opportunity to review and provide sign-off before the release is implemented in production. Since college users no longer have access to HP-UX Legacy or access to the internal QA environment, users that would like to test must follow the following process.
- We seek only ONE ticket submission per college between now and Jan. 5, 2024. Please make sure you are your college's designated submitter before sending in your ticket request.
- Enter a Service Desk ticket using the Request Type: ctcLink Support > Campus Solutions > CS: Legacy
Transcript
- Indicate three to five SIDs per college to be validated.
- Enter GPA Calculation Validation and your college name in the Subject.
- Example: GPA Calculation Validation – Columbia Basin
- Enter the SIDs in the Request Detail.
The Legacy Transcript team will review the service desk ticket and will attach copies of the student’s transcripts from both the Legacy HP-UX system and the Legacy Transcript QA environment where the change resides. Once the transcripts are added to the notes in the ticket, the Status will be changed to Pending Customer Response and the service desk system will generate an email to the client letting them know that the ticket has been updated and that the GPA values are ready to be reviewed.
Once the review is finished, please note the service desk ticket with your acceptance or with any issues you encountered during your review.
Reach out to Tami Whitney, Associate Director of Testing, if you have any questions.
Add your Voice to ctcLink Accessibility Matters
SBCTC hosts monthly forums to engage Washington's community and technical college system in discussions around ctcLink accessibility and technology.
We aim to improve communication and transparency while providing space for productive and solution-focused dialog. Our main objective is to deliver accessible technology for all our students, staff, and the larger community.
Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month, 11 a.m. to noon.
The next ctcLink Accessibility Open Forum will be Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, at 11 a.m. All are welcome to attend via Zoom.
In case you missed a meeting, materials from past Open Forums, including the Dec. 12, 2023, Accessibility & ctcLink Forum Presentation are available.
