ctcLink Learning Opportunities & Support Roundup: Feb. 7, 2024

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).

 

All-Pillar Learning Opportunity: End of Fiscal Year Prep

Monday, April 15, 2024, 9 to 11 a.m.

Join Webex | Meeting number (access code): 2663 141 6695 | Password: tuN3bsnpp22

Save the date for an All-Pillar Learning Opportunity: End of Fiscal Year Prep!

In this session, SBCTC will present a high-level view of how all ctcLink pillars interconnect, with an emphasis on Fiscal Year End (FYE) preparation.

FYE prep includes

• Human Capital Management Transactions
• Campus Solutions Core Student Services
• Financial Aid Review
• Student Financials Reconciliation and Spring Cleaning
• Finance Tasks/Checklists and General Ledger

Learning objectives

• A high-level overview of how information flows within ctcLink pillars
• A high-level overview of each pillar and the resources and tools available for end of year cleanup, including queries, documents, reference guides, and process guides
• Where to access links to previous/upcoming trainings regarding reconciliation/end of fiscal year prep

Primary Audience: ctcLink system processing staff

Related QRGs: Intro to ctcLink and FIN - Closing Periods and Years Procedures

Prerequisite Course(s): ctcLink Training Registration.  It is recommended you review and complete your pillar-related courses.

Questions?  Contact Alec Risk, Functional Trainer - ctcLink Student Financials.

Revised Instruction Mode Coding Implementation on Feb. 9, 2024

You may be aware the Data Governance Committee (DGC) Course Modality subcommittee proposed updates to Instruction Mode coding in ctcLink Campus Solutions (CS) based on months of systemwide feedback and input.

Once approved, the ctcLink CS Support team worked quickly to implement the new coding so college instructional teams and course-builders will have the new schema in place for the 2024-2025 catalog/course build process.

College ctcLink Leaders are asked to share this information broadly on campus with impacted employees, including faculty.

Background

Methods for coding course modalities have varied widely over the last two decades. The onset of COVID-19 restrictions drove systemwide discussions about course modality and how colleges could more accurately communicate course modality (i.e., modes of course delivery) to students as they search for classes. The terms “asynchronous” and “synchronous” became common when describing course modality.

When in-person COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, it was evident how much our educational delivery methods had expanded and students are left struggling to decipher when, where, and how a class is taught and the in-person versus online requirements.

This new schema defines a system of coding to reduce inconsistencies by further clarifying how courses should be coded in ctcLink for students, staff, and faculty. Consistent data will result in reliable and statistically valid findings and reports.

Timeline

The initial effort emerged in late 2022 and the Course Modality subcommittee developed and revised its proposal throughout 2023. DGC approved the proposal on Dec. 7, 2023, followed by ctcLink Working Group approval on Jan. 17, 2024.

These changes are being implemented and will be available in ctcLink on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024.

A few examples of changes

• Tele-class, Correspondence, Interactive Television are being retired
• Washington Online (WAOL) is being retired and replaced with “System Shared Classes”
• Independent Studies is renamed to Individualized Instruction
• New official names for Instruction Modes: Online Scheduled, Online Scheduled w/In-Person, Online Asynchronous w/In-Person, In-Person, In-Person (Web Enhanced), Hybrid, Flexible, Self-Paced, Individualized Instruction

Resources for colleges

To assist colleges in their coding, planning, and implementation efforts, the ctcLink CS Support team and Course Modality subcommittee developed support resources available at the SBCTC Coding and Reporting Guidelines web page in the Instruction Mode section.

Course Modality Coding Guidance

The Instruction Mode Coding Guidance includes the Instruction Mode definitions, as well as an FAQ section with questions received during the systemwide proposal feedback process. 

ctcLink Instruction Mode Implementation Handbook

The Instruction Mode Schema Implementation Handbook includes information such as mapping the old Instruction Modes to the new, details about how to change Instruction Modes on classes and courses, and instructions for modifying course/class fees. 

SF Info Sessions: Course/Class Fee Update - Instruction Mode

• Please join the SBCTC Student Financials team for crucial insights into this fee update. These one-hour work sessions will comprehensively cover the steps required to update class and course fees for this enhancement.  The Feb. 13 and March 12 sessions will cover the same content. You only need to attend one session.
• Join Feb. 13, 2024, 1 p.m. session or Join March 12, 2024, 11 a.m. session

Please reach out to Carmen McKenzie, SBCTC Director of Data Services, if you have any questions.

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.

ER Work Underway

• Campus Solutions ER 166 - CampusCE Search/Match Parameter - UAT activities scheduled for Jan. 31 to Feb. 13 for college users.
• ER 230 - Student Self-Service Links for Bank Mobile and Direct Deposit. Development is complete and system integration testing is underway.   
• Campus Solutions ER 232 - (FYI) Adding Custom Self-Service Questions - Defining requirements and analyzing possible solution designs with Data Services and App Services
• Campus Solutions ER 260 - Instruction Mode Configuration Modification from Data Governance Committee. Approved by ctcLink Working Group Jan. 17, 2024. Configuring changes will be in production by Feb. 9, 2024.
• Campus Solutions ER OAAP 238 Search/Match - Internal system integration testing (SIT) completed. Currently waiting for the vendor to refresh UAT environment and then planning for college UAT activities.
• Campus Solutions OAAP ERs 178, 184,169, 183, 212, and 237 - approved by ctcLink Working Group. Work is underway for Priority 1 (Residency & Citizenship) which includes some crossover between ERs 169, 184, and 237.
• Campus Solutions/Student Financials ER 260 - Instruction Mode Configuration Modification from Data Governance Committee. Systemwide communication was sent Feb. 5, 2024. Instruction Mode changes will be configured in production by Feb. 9, 2024.
• Finance ER 189 - Stale Dating Checks - In progress – Working with Accounting and Business Services
• Finance ER 204 - Modifications to WAPAY – Internal testing in progress.
• HCM ER 154 – Faculty Workload (FWL) Future Effective Dated Hire Row - Development is complete and system integration testing will begin soon.
• Security ER 249 - Removal of Security Questions in Okta. Development is completed and system integration testing is underway.

Enhancement Requests Currently in Testing

• HCM ER 151 – Including Leave Adjustments in Monthly Accruals
• HCM ER 158 – FWL Employee Record Look Up
• Campus Solutions ER 166 – CampusCE Search/Match Parameter
• Student Financials ER 193 – Second Journal Set
• HCM ER 197 – New Hire Onboarding Improvements
• Finance ER 204 – Modifications to WAPAY

Apprenticeship Coding Changes

CS Support is updating college apprenticeship academic plans on a college-by-college rollout basis. Impacted colleges can expect a SolarWinds ticket assigned to them with more information.

Action Required for AAR Configuration Updates

For complete details, see the Jan. 31, 2024 article, Academic Advisement Report (AAR) Issue: Campus Solutions, Financial Aid.

A service desk ticket was created for each college and assigned to the ctcLink College Leader.  Each college was asked to enter its decision in the ticket by 5 p.m., Friday, Feb. 2, 2024.

1. Determine if AAR updates to the Unused Courses and Graduation requirements are needed.
2. Determine who will perform the updates.  CS Core Support is available to update the requirements for your college, or you can decide to complete the updates yourself.

If your college decides to have CS Core Support update configuration we will provide a specific timeline for the work, with an estimated finish date of no later than April 30.

Update

The CS Support team is currently reviewing submitted AAR configuration decisions and following up with any colleges that did not meet the Feb. 2 deadline.

Configuration timelines are under development for the colleges that opted for SBCTC to make the changes.

AAR Cleanup Support Sessions

CS Core Support will offer two optional AAR cleanup support sessions for the Unused Courses and Graduation requirements. Colleges making the configuration changes themselves can attend one of the cleanup sessions.

We will provide an overview of the issue and be available throughout the meeting for hands-on cleanup support for staff as they drop in.

AAR Cleanup Support Session 1
Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, 1 - 3 p.m. Join Session

AAR Cleanup Support Session 2
Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, 1 - 3 p.m. Join Session

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).

FIN Learning Opportunities

Accounting 101: Foundations of Accounting

Did you know the SBCTC Business Operations team partners with the Office of Financial Management (OFM) to deliver foundational accounting training principles, essential to any finance or business office role?

This training provides context and basics to make advanced learning more approachable. It’s for all employees, not just finance or business, so if you have no finance experience or training, this class will help you get started.

Payroll and Campus Solutions staff are encouraged to attend to get familiar with functionality in the accounting world that might overlap with their normal duties. This is not ctcLink training; it’s all about basic accounting principles.

Sign up for an upcoming online or in-person session. OFM will provide virtual meeting details to those who register.

To plan further ahead, see the complete calendar at the SBCTC meetings and events calendar (apply filters).

FIN Work Sessions

FIN Work Session: Grant OLT and Open Q&A

Monday, Feb. 12, 12 – 1 p.m., Join session

Every SECOND Monday of the Month, join us for a collaborative, interactive and troubleshooting drop-in session on everything Grants/Projects. This session is not recorded.

• 12 – 12:30 p.m. How to review and clear out OLT (Over the Limit) Billable Lines
• 12:30 - 1 p.m. Open Q&A - Please come with your questions or issues and be ready to share your screen. Some examples include Grant Billing, Modify Grant Award or Capital Project Budgets, Amending Awards, Project-related Budget/Commitment Control Errors, Grant-related Combo Codes and Item Types.

Monthly Student Finance/General Ledger Open Forum

Every second Wednesday, 2 to 3 p.m.

The ctcLink accounting team invites you to bring your questions (and solutions) to share during this open forum meeting space for all things Student Finance/General Ledger (SF/GL) related. There is no formal agenda as we welcome all questions about everything from item types and second journal sets to waivers, queries, or internal cash reconciliation.

See the SBCTC meetings and events calendar and look for ctcLink Accounting Team: SF/GL Open Forum Meeting. The next ctcLink Accounting Team: SF/GL Open Forum Meeting will be Feb. 14.

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.

Drop-In Debrief: How Did It GoUsing the New NSLDS Transfer Monitoring UEM Process?

Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, 9 to 10 a.m.

Join Webex | Meeting number (access code): 2661 966 6528 | Password: 2024FATrainings

Audience:  Staff responsible for managing the NSLDS Transfer Monitoring process in ctcLink

This Financial Aid debrief session is a “How did it go?” conversation with your Financial Aid colleagues in the system who have run this process for the Winter 2241 term. 

Come to the session and share what you learned, any challenges you faced, personal learnings and/or information encountered during the new NSLDS Transfer Monitoring UEM process and anything else you think might be helpful to share with colleagues.

Kelly Forsberg will briefly walk through the NSLDS Transfer Monitoring Guide to show updates as of Jan. 18, 2024, reflecting the NSLDS technical and enrollment reporting guides so you can familiarize yourself with the information used to optimize your experience in working with TRNINFIN and FAHEXTOP files.

It’s Time for Aid Year Rollover (AYRO) Activities

All colleges are expected to complete AYRO Part 1 on their own. All the detailed documentation and “how to” is included in your meeting invite for AYRO. Should you have any questions while completing AYRO Part 1, please submit a ticket under ctcLink Support > Financial Aid > FA AYRO.

With FAFSA Simplification work, Image testing, and other priority tickets, response times may be slower. The goal is for each college to complete AYRO Part 1 before attending the AYRO Part 2 Work Session. Please be sure to submit tickets related to AYRO Part 1 no later than one week before your scheduled AYRO Part 2 Work Session.

Aid Year Rollover Financial Aid Support Sessions

The first session kicked off Jan. 23, 2024, with Centralia, Edmonds, Skagit Valley, and Green River colleges. All colleges' schedules are listed at the SBCTC meetings and events calendar.

FA Learning Opportunities

Financial Aid Training

Loan Exit Counseling Refresher

Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, 9 to 10:30 a.m. 

Join Webex | Meeting number (access code): 2661 966 6528 | Password: 2024FATrainings

 Join us for a Financial Aid training refresher on the steps to process loan exit counseling and reviewing the available queries each process runs.

Audience:  Staff responsible for managing the Direct Loan program

Objectives

• Understand the processing steps to run Direct Loan Exit counseling
• Understand the available queries and the specific populations of students the loan exit process is running

This session will be recorded.  The presentation slide deck will be attached to this invite before session delivery.  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.

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.

Human Capital Management Tax Update 24-A Upgrade

The Human Capital Management Tax Update 24-A upgrade will be implemented in production after business hours Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024.  

The HCM Tax Update 24A – February 2024 overview document outlines changes functional changes users will experience in the Payroll for North America module once the upgrade is implemented, including:

• Updated Federal/State Tax Table
• Local Tax Table Changes
• Taxable Gross Definition Table
• Garnishment Rule Changes
• State Tax Data Page Updates to Support Indiana Form WH-4
• State Tax Data Page Updates to Support 2024 Montana Form MW-4
• Updated Federal W-4 PDF in ESS
• 2023 W-2C Form Functionality Changes

Please review the overview document and contact the HCM-ERP Support Team if you have any questions.

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.

Offboarding – Terminations

Wednesday, Feb. 14, 1 p.m., Join session

Join your fellow payroll administrators, HR administrators, benefits administrators, absence management administrators to learn more about termination procedures.

Absence Adjustments (Updates)

Wednesday, Feb. 28, 1 p.m., Join session

Join your fellow absence management administrators and payroll administrators to learn more about updates to Absence Adjustments.

SF Learning Opportunities

1098-T Statement Processing

1098-T printed statements have been sent to Washington State Printing Office for printing and mailing. They will be postmarked on or before Jan. 31, 2024.

Keep these essential 1098-T dates in mind:

• Tuesday, March 12: training session for corrections
• Sunday, March 31, 2024: IRS Fire Account upload deadline

Mass Select Transactions

Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, 9-10 a.m., Join session

Student Financials module users are invited to join us to learn:

• What is Mass Select Transactions
• What can it be used for
• How to and tips for using Mass Select Transaction
• File Mapping
• Corrections and Reversals

Related QRG: Mass Select Transaction End-to-End Process

Prerequisite Course: SF101 Cashiering

This session will be recorded and added to the SF101 Cashiering Canvas Course under the Additional Resources modules. Please note: to access Training Recordings, the specific Canvas Course needs to be completed. You can register for SBCTC Canvas Courses through the Accessing ctcLink Courses on Canvas page.

Contact Alec Risk, SBCTC Student Financials Functional Trainer.

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 2023 and will conclude in February 2024.

Security Questions to be Removed from Okta

A critical Okta ctcLink security update is underway which impacts all student and employee users. The good news is that most end users won’t notice a difference. 

SBCTC ctcLink Security and Application Services teams have been working with colleges behind-the-scenes to implement mandated Enhancement Request #249 by Feb. 16, 2024.

Why?

To enhance ctcLink cybersecurity, the option to establish Security Questions in Okta is being removed for all students and employees with one limited exception.

The IT Commission (ITC) voted to remove Security Questions since this feature presents a security risk to the system. STAC also supports this action as it will ensure the confidentiality and security of customers' nonpublic personal information, complying with the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA).

What is changing?

The SBCTC ctcLink Security and Application Services teams will remove “Security Question” prompts (e.g., What was the first concert you attended? What was the make and model of your first car?) from the Activate Your Account (AYA) process the evening of Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, except for students in Department of Corrections (DOC) programs.

Only students in DOC programs will continue to use Security Questions to authenticate. For DOC students, a new Okta role (ZZ Okta MFA Security Questions) has been For all other users, if Security Questions are their only current MFA factor, then their default MFA will be their email address. 

What does my college need to do?

The new ZZ Okta MFA Security Questions role is available for colleges to begin assignments and college Local Security Administrators (LSAs) have been notified

Prior to Feb. 15, 2024, the LSAs will need to apply this new role to only those users who must have security questions as an MFA option.

Please contact Dani Bundy, Director of ctcLink PeopleSoft Customer Support, or Shelia Sloan, Associate Director of Application Security, if you have questions.

SASI College Advisory Group

The Security Administration System Improvement (SASI) College Advisory Group started review of the Offboarding business process. SASI will finalize its business process gap review on Feb. 13, 2024. After SASI identifies roadblocks or issues to be addressed, they will begin working on designing a solution.

The group has also been working on complex employee onboarding and offboarding processes around security access for employees transferring to another college or working at more than one college.

See the Security Administration System Improvement [SASI] Project Information Guide for more information.

ctcLink Accessibility Monthly Open Forum

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, Feb. 13, 2024, at 11 a.m. All are welcome to attend via Zoom.

In case you missed a meeting, see materials from past Open Forums.