Riverside City College has announced an update to MyPortal, the online website where students manage class registration, financial aid and other academic services.
The update includes enhancements to simplify access to critical resources and improve cybersecurity protections.
According to Christopher Blackmore, RCC’s Associate Vice Chancellor of Information Technology and Learning Systems, the most notable update to Myportal will be the support for mobile devices, which allows students to easily access the platform while on-the-go.
“The new MyPortal includes better support for mobile devices and significant ease-of-use improvements,” Blackmore said. “These updates make it simpler for students to access important academic information, manage their schedules and communicate with the district.”
The improvements to Myportal were driven by student feedback. While the update was being developed, the Information Technology & Learning Systems team provided early access to a group of student testers who evaluated the portal’s layouts, features and compatibility with different devices. Their feedback helped form the final result.
“We wanted to ensure MyPortal aligned with student expectations,” Blackmore said. “The input we received from students guided many of the improvements in the update.”
In regards to the security and privacy of student data, Blackmore and his crew put a “strong emphasis on cybersecurity” as he says the previous system implemented was not up to par. He said, “The new platform is based on modern architecture, fully supports the latest cybersecurity protocols and receives regular updates from the software vendor.” The updates will include patches to maintain security and “follow compliance standards to protect sensitive information, ensuring data security remains a top priority.”
Even more, the updated Myportal was designed to integrate smoothly with other key systems at RCC, such as EduNav for academic planning and Parchment for transcript requests.
“These integrations ensure that students continue to have uninterrupted access to the tools they rely on for managing their academic and administrative needs,” Blackmore said
The major challenge that was encountered was rigging the newest system to RCCD’s processes. Blackmore explains, “The flexibility of the MyPortal technology allowed us to tailor it to our needs, but this took longer than initially expected.” The team also encountered an ”unforeseen technical issue” that forced them to postpone the initial launch.
To help students adjust to the update, the Information Technology & Learning Systems team has created a support plan that includes informational videos that walk through navigating the portal.
Additionally, at the RCCD IT Help Desk, there will be a knowledge base article that provides extra information and tips.
“Our Help Desk staff are also readily available to assist students with any issues they may encounter,” said Blackmore.
Looking ahead, the Information Technology & Learning Systems team plans to implement additional features to further personalize the student experience.
According to Blackmore, “This could include expanded mobile functionalities, more intuitive navigation and even deeper integration with future systems.”
“We will continue to gather student feedback to inform these enhancements, ensuring the platform remains aligned with their expectations,” Blackmore said.
The MyPortal update is expected to be fully implemented by the end of the fall term, giving students access to the new features and improvements before the next academic term begins.
