[ctcLinkfinaidsupport] Query freeze for all FA related queries (May 8 - June 28)

Wed May 8 16:37:02 PDT 2024

Ana and Ivy,

I agree with Kelsey's response below and also implore you to reconsider this decision.

I am disappointed that FA query development is being gate kept by requiring the FA support team to review queries related to financial aid. The FA support team hasn't provided any documented standards they're checking against which makes the additional review feel arbitrary. Instead, I proposed a solution that would lean on the expertise of college query developers to assist during this unprecedented time. Access to real-time data is an immediate concern for colleges that need to have timely data solutions for upcoming changes in regulations,  we can work together as college developers to ensure the queries migrated during this time meet all requirements set by the FA support team. The lack of capacity from the FA support team should not be the deciding factor for when colleges are able to publish queries, and an alternative solution to a freeze should be discussed. An almost two-month long freeze for query migration with no prior warning creates an extreme hardship for colleges. College developers must be given access to the new records, fields, or views being introduced by Oracle in PCD as soon as possible so that colleges can develop with and test our data. Any queries created by college developers using these new records, fields, or views should be eligible to migrate as of day one when production ctcLink has been updated.

[cid:image003.png at 01DAA165.F381A660]Joshua Temple
Business System Analyst
Student Services & Financial Aid
Spokane Community College

From: ctcLinkfinaidsupport <ctclinkfinaidsupport-bounces at lists.ctc.edu> On Behalf Of Kelsey Denton via ctcLinkfinaidsupport
Sent: Wednesday, May 8, 2024 12:31
To: ctclinkfinaidsupport at lists.ctc.edu; Ana Ybarra <aybarra at sbctc.edu>; Ivy Brent <ibrent at sbctc.edu>
Subject: Re: [ctcLinkfinaidsupport] Query freeze for all FA related queries (May 8 - June 28)

Hi Ana, Ivy,
This is really disappointing news. We've been strategizing at Green River on how we can use queries to improve the rate with which our Financial Aid office can process student aid. There was no warning that this freeze would occur, no notice in the Query Governance Group, or College Collaboration, or any other communication forum or meeting space (that I am aware of). If we'd been made aware of the freeze, we could have strategized differently and/or pressed more fervently on existing query requests that are already in as tickets, especially given that we are coming off of a long freeze in April as well.
I understand that the FA Support team needs to direct their attention to the matters at hand in terms of the move from PCD to production, but I think there are plenty in the ctcLink FA community and the ctcLink query community who would step in to support query review during this especially trying time, and be willing to follow whatever parameters are necessary to ensure query integrity. A query freeze of this length prevents many contributors from helping to lift the FA community with their skills and energy. Rarely am I clamoring for more work! But in this case, I can't just accept this freeze and say nothing knowing that I and others could do a lot of good in this time to help.
I implore you to reconsider and hope you will.  A capable, creative, and motivated community of people is interested in making this happen for our system and our students - surely there are other paths through this particular space that could account for concerns, limitations, and unknowns. ctcLink governance, and query governance, lean heavily on the value of collaboration - and this is a ripe opportunity to engage our community and use the range of and skills and expertise in our system.

Sincerely,
Kelsey Denton
________________________________
From: ctcLinkfinaidsupport <ctclinkfinaidsupport-bounces at lists.ctc.edu<mailto:ctclinkfinaidsupport-bounces at lists.ctc.edu>> on behalf of Ana Ybarra via ctcLinkfinaidsupport <ctclinkfinaidsupport at lists.ctc.edu<mailto:ctclinkfinaidsupport at lists.ctc.edu>>
Sent: Wednesday, May 8, 2024 11:29 AM
To: ctclinkfinaidsupport at lists.ctc.edu<mailto:ctclinkfinaidsupport at lists.ctc.edu> <ctclinkfinaidsupport at lists.ctc.edu<mailto:ctclinkfinaidsupport at lists.ctc.edu>>
Subject: [ctcLinkfinaidsupport] Query freeze for all FA related queries (May 8 - June 28)

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Good morning.

The FA Support team has requested a freeze on all migrations for FA related queries.  This freeze is to help the FA Support team focus on the upcoming FA changes that are moving into production on June 8.  FA support sessions for the colleges are planned for the weeks of June 10th - 14th and 17th - 21st.

The freeze starts today, Wednesday, May 8, and goes through Friday, June 28.  Any FA related queries that are currently in work by the Reporting Team or in review with FA Support, will be put on hold until Monday, July 1.

Please hold all migration requests for FA related queries until Monday, July 1.

During the freeze period, production FA queries that are reported to have an error will be reviewed and fixed as soon as possible.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Ivy Brent

Associate Director of ctcLink Business Intelligence

[SBCTC sub-brand Data Services-small]

Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges

1300 Quince St SE | PO Box 42495 |  Olympia, Washington 98504-2495
phone: 360-704-3905 | fax: (360) 704-4416 | email: ibrent at sbctc.edu<mailto:ibrent at sbctc.edu>

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