The Issue

Due to the way ctcLink functions, not all Seattle Colleges email messages will go to a student’s @seattlecolleges.edu email account. All messages generated by ctcLink will continue to go to the student’s preferred email address listed in ctcLink.

Seattle College will still move forward with plans to send other email messages to a student’s @seattlecolleges.edu email account.

• We will implement an ongoing campaign to inform students to use and check their @seattlecolleges.edu email daily for important information.
• We will plan the campaign to include a recommendation that students set @seattlecolleges.edu as their preferred email address.  Students will still have the option to forward it to their personal email address.

Next Steps for Working Group

• Compile a comprehensive list of which email messages come from ctcLink and confirm if this is consistent across all three colleges. Align messages if possible.
• Confirm which software application emails (e.g. Canvas, Starfish) currently go to @seattlecolleges.edu versus those we control and have decided to send to @seattlecolleges.edu.
• Determine what, if anything, SBCTC can do to help forward messages from ctcLink to @seattlecolleges.edu accounts.
• Develop and implement an informational campaign for students.
• Answer question: When a student graduates, at what point do they lose their access? Include information about when/how that happens and what students can do.

Background

Most students apply using the SBCTC statewide application which integrates with ctcLink.

1. Once admitted, messages are sent to the preferred email address in ctcLink that the student provides on the application.
2. A student’s @seattlecolleges.edu email account is established after they register for a for-credit class in ctcLink.

Basic and Transitional Studies (BTS) uses a “quick admit” method where BTS staff work with enrollment services to activate the student’s ctcLink account. They use a student’s personal email address during this process. ESL and International students may also use different methods to enroll tudents.

To be able to activate a student’s @seattlecollege.edu email, the student needs to be enrolled in a class in ctcLink (1 cr. ESL68 orientation class) AND the student’s ctcLink account needs to be activated already (with help from enrollment services)

The Issue

An @seattlecolleges.edu email account cannot be activated on the same day as CTCLINK ID, and it appears that an @seattlecolleges.edu email account cannot be activated immediately after enrolling a student in ESL 68 class (both due to ctcLink <<>> college email communication delay).

This means that BTS students cannot access their @seattlecolleges.edu email account during student orientation. BTS staff cannot show them how to use it and why it is important. BTS does a follow-up email to students’ personal email with a video on how to get @seattlecolleges.edu email, but it is not considered effective.

Next Steps for Working Group

• Develop a solution for BTS students.
• If needed, develop solutions for ESL and International students also.
• Identify any other student services units that do “quick admit” or any other variation of setting up a student’s ctcLink account.
• The planned information campaign will develop resources that can help clarify ID/Login accounts for all students. We may need to develop something especially for BTS students.

Background

Most students apply using the SBCTC statewide application which integrates with ctcLink.

1. Once admitted, messages are sent to the preferred email address in ctcLink that the student provides on the application.
2. A student’s @seattlecolleges.edu email account is established after they register for a for-credit class in ctcLink.

The Issue

Students have two different IDs/Logins issued at two different times with two different password requirements:

1. ctclink ID needed for ctcLink and Canvas – issued when a student is admitted
2. Seattle Colleges EAD ID needed for wifi, Office365, and @seattlecolleges.edu email – issued after a student registers for a class

This creates password confusion as new students may not know which ID/Login to use for what purpose. This is especially confusing for BTS students who use a “quick admit” process (see issue 2 above).

Next Steps for Working Group

• Review existing help guide info at:
  • Email & Office 365 Software https://itservices.seattlecolleges.edu/email-office-365-software 
  • MySeattleColleges Login Account https://itservices.seattlecolleges.edu/myseattlecolleges-account 
  • Accounts and Tech Tools: A Guide for Students at Seattle Colleges https://www.seattlecolleges.edu/media/671 
• Review info provided to Seattle Promise, etc.
• Assess how and when students are currently notified about their @seattlecolleges.edu email account.
• Determine/confirm the communication transition/handoff point from ctcLink (preferred personal email to @seattlecollege.edu) for all students.
• Consult with Advising to determine if they communicate with students prior to enrolling and how that fits into this transition/handoff.
• Develop resources that clarify this process for all students.
• Include these resources in the planned information campaign.

The Issue

The move to sending email to students’ @seattlecollege.edu addresses may involve the creation of Outlook distribution lists for:

• All students districtwide
• All students at North
• All students at Central
• All students at South
• What other lists will be needed?

It may be decided to continue to use other existing methods to send mass emails to students. If so, we will need to identify and promote those methods to faculty and staff.

Next Steps for Working Group

• Confirm what tools currently exist for faculty and staff to send email and review, determine their continued use and strengths/limitations:
  • LetterTool (IT, David Stephens)
  • C3 in ctcLink
  • Starfish
  • Canvas
  • Other
• Determine how email limits currently set in Outlook by IT factor into this issue moving forward.
  • Confirm and publicize current limits
  • Q: Do emails to established distribution lists “count as one email”?
• Discuss what other additional lists needed? (by academic group, seniors, specific academic programs, etc.)
• Consult with college communications directors about how they handle campuswide announcements.
• Consult with eLearning about how they handle Canvas announcements (forms, criteria, other lists). What can be done to develop a more seamless interaction and better reinforcement of messages using Canvas announcements.
• Determine what other stakeholders should be consulted.
• Establish procedures/criteria for the following:
  • Who at the district level and at each college will have access to send to these distribution lists.
  • What types of messages can be sent (are there any criteria?)

Questions and Other Considerations 

Consider: If a staff member is added to an “approved to send” email distribution list, the list(s) they are provided access to can be limited. Bigger than the transition issue – will involve a larger leadership discussion. 

Question: With the current Inside Seattle Colleges email tool (LetterTool), there is a “no reply” option. Is that something that can be part of the Outlook system when sending to @seattlecolleges.edu? Outlook does allow you to set a different reply email than the one the message was sent from.

Question: In LetterTool, all “informational” emails have an unsubscribe/opt out option. How might this work with Outlook?

Question: When you are sending an email in Outlook to a list “on behalf of someone/some dept.” what are the implications?

Consider: Students are trained to go and look into Canvas for "school communications" - so possibly re-envisioning how email/office 365 fits into canvas shells/classes - a template that faculty can employ that connects the 2?  How can we leverage Canvas to easily link to @seattlecolleges email.

Consider:   Template language for faculty syllabi. 

The Issue

Meetings with student leaders revealed that many students are unaware of existing help resources about activating and using their @seattlecolleges.edu email accounts, or they view what resources that do exist are not particularly helpful to them.

Next Steps for Working Group

• Identify and confirm what help resources are available through IT and other units.
  • Review and assess those resources.
  • If needed, create new or additional help resources. This may include help guides, videos, etc.
• Identify and confirm if there are any training sessions offered by IT, eLearning, Orientation programs, etc.
  • Review and assess those resources
  • If needed, create new or additional help resources. This may include help guides, videos, etc.
• Collect and post resources, guides, and training info to a website. Where possible, include other common languages.
• Include all help resources, guides, and training info in the planned informational campaign to students.