Six More Colleges Gear Up for Oct. 25 and Nov. 8 Go-Live
The ctcLink Steering Committee met Tuesday with project managers and college leadership from deployment DG5-B colleges (Bellingham Technical College, Big Bend Community College, and Whatcom Community College) and DG5-C colleges (Bellevue College, Everett Community College, and Grays Harbor College) to discuss readiness for Oct. 25 and Nov. 8, 2021 ctcLink go-lives.
The group reviewed key go-live readiness areas for the DG5-B and DG5-C colleges. Each college PM gave an overview of readiness for their college, followed by a high-level perspective from each executive sponsor/president. In addition, the committee considered the ctcLink Project team’s readiness for conversion and the SBCTC ctcLink Customer Support organization’s readiness to support six more colleges post-go-live. For details, see ctcLink DG5-B Go-Live Readiness Presentation and ctcLink DG5-C Go-Live Readiness Presentation
After reviewing the readiness results, the ctcLink Steering Committee unanimously approved DG5-B go-live for Oct. 25 and DG5-C go-live for Nov. 8, 2021.
When the eight DG5 colleges go live, 25 of 34 colleges (plus the SBCTC agency itself) will be on ctcLink.
The Shifting 2021 Landscape
DG5 colleges have prepared to go-live on ctcLink while the policies, directions, and plans due to the pandemic are in a near-constant state of flux. Preparing to transition to ctcLink is a monumental achievement in itself. Throw in remote and hybrid operations, vaccination requirements, attestation process, political turbulence, and creating a safe environment for the fall return to campus, makes DG5’s work seemingly impossible.
DG5 ctcLink college leadership has accomplished a tremendous endeavor and all are now on the cusp of joining the other half of Washington state’s community and technical colleges on ctcLink.
Kudos to Leadership and Teams
DG5-B project managers — Nat Reilly, Bellingham Technical; Patrick Steele, Big Bend; Matt Connelly, Whatcom; Maria Rivas, Bellevue; Sindie Howland, Everett; and Jason Lake, Grays Harbor – are commended for managing such a large project in these unprecedented times. Thanks to their leadership and the hard work and resiliency of the local college ctcLink teams; they worked together to make it happen.
DG5-B and DG5-C executive sponsors — Rodger Harrison, Bellevue; Chad Stiteler, Bellingham Tech; Linda Schoonmaker, Big Bend; Nate Langstraat, Whatcom; Pat Sisneros, Everett; and Darin Jones, Grays Harbor – continue to provide phenomenal support and dedication to going live with ctcLink at their colleges. Their leadership, consistent guidance, and steadfast support of their college PMs, as well as collaboration through the governance process, is commended.
DG5-B and DG5-C college presidents — Gary Locke, Bellevue; Walter Hudsick, Bellingham Tech; Dr. Sara Thompson Tweedy, Big Bend; Dr. Kathi Hiyane-Brown, Whatcom; Dr. Daria Willis, Everett; and Dr. Ed Brewster, Grays Harbor — are honored for their vision, support, and understanding that an implementation of this size is a monumental systemwide undertaking.
The ctcLink Project technical and functional implementation team, SBCTC agency teams (Customer Support, Legacy, Application Services, Data Services and Infrastructure Services) have stepped up in these very difficult times to provide momentous support and coordination and keep the project moving forward.
What’s Next?
DG5-A Conversion go-live weekend
Beginning late Thursday night, Oct. 7, through Sunday, Oct. 10, the SBCTC teams will work together around-the-clock to convert DG5-A data from the current HP Legacy system to ctcLink PeopleSoft.
DG5-B and DG5-C dry run – practice for go-live
On Thursday, Oct. 14, DG5-B and DG5-C college subject matter experts (SMEs) have an opportunity to participate in a validation session using data from the dry run conversion. This will mimic the activities of the go-live weekend and give everyone involved a chance to familiarize themselves with the processes, confirm that everything looks as it should, as well as catch and fix issues uncovered during the Sunday validation.
DG5-B conversion go-live weekend
Beginning late Thursday night, Oct. 21, through Sunday, Oct. 24, the SBCTC teams will work together around-the-clock to convert DG5-B data from the current HP Legacy system to ctcLink PeopleSoft.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, Bellingham Technical College, Big Bend Community College, and Whatcom Community College will be live in ctcLink PeopleSoft on Monday, Oct. 25, 2021.
DG5-C conversion go-live weekend
Beginning late Thursday night, Nov. 4, through Sunday, Nov. 7, the SBCTC teams will work together around-the-clock to convert DG5-C data from the current HP Legacy system to ctcLink PeopleSoft.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, Bellevue College, Everett Community College, and Grays Harbor College will be live in ctcLink PeopleSoft on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021.
ctcLink offline for all during conversion weekends
ctcLink will be off-line for all colleges currently live in ctcLink during conversion weekends.
The colleges impacted as DG5-A goes live are Bellingham Technical College (for DG5-C), Big Bend Community College (for DG5-C), Cascadia College, Clark College, Centralia College, Community Colleges of Spokane District, Edmonds College, Green River College (for DG5-B and DG5-C), Highline College, Lower Columbia College, North Seattle College, Olympic College, Peninsula College, Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, Pierce College Puyallup, SBCTC, Seattle Central College, Seattle Colleges, Skagit Valley (for DG5-B and DG5-C), South Seattle College, Spokane Community College, Spokane Falls Community College, Tacoma Community College, Wenatchee Valley College, and Whatcom Community College (for DG5-C).
ctcLink Service Outages for DG5 Go-Live – Fall 2021
- Friday afternoon, Oct. 8, 2021 to Monday morning, Oct. 11, 2021 (DG5-A go-live weekend)
- Friday afternoon, Oct. 22, 2021 to Monday morning, Oct. 25, 2021 (DG5-B go-live weekend)
- Friday afternoon, Nov. 5, 2021 to Monday morning, Nov. 8, 2021 (DG5-C go-live weekend)
