Numerous sectors have transitioned to a virtual environment in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but with this shift comes a greater opportunity for fraudulent activity across all industries and government operations, including higher education.
In response to these challenges, the Chancellor’s Office has partnered with the Butte Community College Tech Center and districts and colleges to combat fraud and introduce improvements for collecting data and protecting against fraud.
Two areas of concern include admission application fraud, which occurs during the creation of a student’s account on CCCApply, the system’s common application for admission, and financial aid-related fraud, which occurs once a college has accepted an application and confirmed student identity.
A memo released on June 22 from the Chancellor’s Office shares a number of improvements the system has implemented, along with next steps for continuing addressing virtual fraud.
An additional memo was released on August 30, which provided additional guidance and information on the Chancellor’s Office and Tech Center efforts to combat fraud.
These steps are part of an ongoing process to research and identify fraud as it happens and to proactively combat methods of fraud as they arise, all while prioritizing equity and ensuring that the student experience remains simple and seamless.
To report security incidents, contact the Information Security Center by email at securityhelp@ccctechcenter.org or by calling 916.431.0862.
For more support on fraud monitoring, detection, and prevention, colleges should reach out to Technology Center Director Dr. Jennifer Coleman or Jane Linder, Product Manager. Other questions or inquiries can be directed to Dr. Valerie Lundy-Wagner, Interim Vice Chancellor, Digital Innovation and Infrastructure.
