ITS proudly recognizes the Residency Determination Project Team as the Fall 2024 Team of the Quarter! The team is comprised of: 

The Residency Determination Project Team is recognized for their groundbreaking work in developing and implementing a UC-wide residency determination system for undergraduate applicants. The team was nominated by Patrick Wagman, Rehan Tahir, Edwin Melgar, Bill Manes, Deborah Huertas, Jeff Williams, Apri Medina, and Teri Eckman.

The UC Residency Determination System is a UC-wide web-based system that determines a UC undergraduate applicant’s eligibility for in-state tuition rates prior to them officially being admitted to a UC Campus. Applicants meeting certain criteria are invited to sign into the system via a link from their UC application and complete an online Statement of Legal Residence (SLR) questionnaire in order to determine their California residency status.

The UC Residency Determination application, which was 18 months in the making, went live in all nine UC campuses on December 12, 2024.

“This team successfully implemented a system that streamlines how residency is determined for undergraduate students across all UC campuses. Their work has sped up the process for students, and it ensured  students receive their residency status before they submit their Statement of Intent to Register (SIR). The fact that this team successfully delivered a system for the entire UC system is a testament to the talented people at UCR and ITS,” Edwin shared. 

The team developed the pilot application to integrate residency data, track application status, and improve the user experience for applicants. Their efforts enhanced verification workflows by incorporating  document uploads and leveraging Google Vision API for Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to improve document validation. With five phases of rigorous user acceptance testing (UAT), the team ensured the system met the needs of UCOP and residence deputies across multiple UC campuses.

Their work not only benefited the UC system but also reinforced UCR’s leadership in technology and innovation. The successful launch of the system in December 2024 saw over 9,000 applicants access the form in the first week alone, with no major system failures–an extraordinary achievement for a project of this scale. The application’s ability to provide early residency determinations has also positively impacted financial aid processing and student decision-making, improving overall student outcomes.

“This project required significant collaboration over multiple years. As a result of the efforts of the Residency Determination Project Team, applicants not just to UCR but to all UC campuses will have an opportunity to know their residency status and tuition level prior to accepting an admissions offer. This will allow all students to make informed financial decisions about UC attendance, leading to improved student outcomes and reducing admissions melt,” Jeff explained. 

He also commended the team’s professional work ethic:

“As a member of the systemwide workgroup for this project, I have been impressed by the proactive and collaborative nature of the team and the positivity they have brought to their work. The scope of this project was very broad, but the team regularly provided clear updates and communication, and they received and acted on feedback.

By leveraging a significant amount of automation, this new system will increase UC’s capacity to serve a [large] population of students while keeping campus workloads similar to today’s environment. To say that staff from other campuses have been impressed with the product this team developed and built would be an understatement.”

Despite the technical challenges, the team successfully navigated the complexities of bringing together nine different UC campuses under a single process. Their collaborative efforts with Admissions, IT, and Residency Officers from across the UC system ensured a smooth rollout.

In addition to working on this complex project, the team also had to transition it  into Workfront, all the while demonstrating their adaptability and ability to manage large-scale implementations effectively.

Deborah remarked, “Trying to get all campuses to agree on one way of doing something is no small accomplishment!” Indeed, the  team’s ability to execute a vision that serves the entire UC system is nothing short of remarkable.

Through their dedication, expertise, and problem-solving abilities, the Residency Determination Project Team has set a new standard for how technology can drive efficiency and equity in higher education. Their work has brought positive recognition to UCR and ITS at the UC systemwide level, reinforcing UCR’s role as a leader in technical innovation and student-focused solutions. Congratulations to the Residency Determination Project Team on this well-earned recognition! 

Do you have colleagues who deserve recognition for their hard work and dedication? Nominate them for one of ITS’ Employee Recognition Programs!

Be sure to submit your nomination for the next Team of the Quarter!