CyberSource Security Update

Washington State Community and Technical Colleges’ (WA CTCs) online payment provider, CyberSource, is implementing mandatory security updates that replace the current SOAP API authentication with a REST API certificate model.

All colleges processing student payments through CyberSource must complete this update by October 21, 2025, to avoid disruption to online payment services. Update meetings are happening this week.

The State Board has developed, implemented, and tested a sustainable solution that adopts the new authentication method and establishes a standardized, systemwide biennial key update schedule, replacing the previous ad hoc process.

Image 35 deployment delay:

The maintenance to deploy Campus Solutions Image 35 & Highpoint updates has been rescheduled for Saturday, November 1.

Sales Tax and CNED classes

The Department of Revenue has issued clarification regarding sales tax on educational presentations such as Continuing Education (CNED) courses. Courses, workshops, and presentations provided by institutions with institutional accreditation will not be considered taxable as live presentations.

The Department has agreed with the public colleges and universities’ interpretation that coursework provided under NWCCU accreditation is not subject to sales tax.

1098T

This year, like in previous years, we will be offering both in depth trainings, drop-in sessions following those trainings, and continue to update/utilize the Business Processing Guide. Find the below sessions & links via the 2025 1098-T Business Processing Guide QRG

2025 Special Considerations - Please see Appendix 1 in the guide for additional detail.

Issue-ER999 and Citizenship Status: Beginning with calendar year 2025, State Board recommends selecting the Override Citizenship validation within their batch processing.

Issue-Prior Year 1098-Ts: When activity to a prior calendar year takes place, and a prior year 1098-T has not already been generated, it causes an inaccurate current year 1098-T.

We look forward to seeing you on the 27th!

Survey

This survey is designed to gather valuable feedback from WACTC colleges on the use and effectiveness of the Student Financials Reference Center (QRGs), Canvas training courses, and Training and Work Sessions. Your insights will play a key role in shaping future student financial training and improving support documentation.

We encourage all Student Financial end-users, as well as members of BAR, to share their experiences and suggestions regarding current training resources and learning opportunities. Your input is essential to ensure that our training tools are relevant, accessible, and impactful.

SF Training & Learning Opportunities Survey 2025

Student Financials Enhancement Requests:

• SFRA #266 =
  • SFRA
    • As of today, 5 of 19 colleges in Cohort 2 have successfully gone live with the SFRA. To date, over 75,000 agreements have been signed.
    • Please direct any questions, concerns, or updates to your go-live ticket. Once go-live support concludes and no further inquiries are pending, the ticket will be marked as resolved.
    • For any new SFRA-related requests moving forward, please use the request type “SF: Communications.”
    • Please note that the SFRA has been translated into 9 languages and those copies are available (via .doc file) in the QRG under “Communications Templates & Agreement Verbiage”
    • QRG = Student Financial Responsibility Agreement
• Running Start #323 = The Running Start 9-10 Waiver rule has been rescinded and is no longer active as of this current Fall Term in ctcLink Production/Test environments.
• Receipts #274 = We are continuing to test the corporate receipt configuration and anticipate completion by the end of October. Please note that this update will also include the addition of “change due” on both corporate and student receipts.