For Madison College, the efforts to maintain staff and student’s safety a priority has not faltered. After months of providing a secure virtual learning environment and establishing safety protocols, the work has not ceased. Campus safety has implemented additional tools to keep the community informed throughout the pandemic such as the COVID-19 Dashboard, launched back in January.

Joshua Cotillier, Risk Manager, expressed the importance of reporting positive cases of the virus within the college community and making sure there was transparency. Publishing these numbers was a choice made to have this information available. It is not a requirement for a college to do this. However, Cotillier reiterates the significance to be as transparent as possible to staff and students.

This facility to information has another important aspect. It serves to help the Madison College community understand how the campus has been affected by COVID-19, with the opportunity of comparing numbers and sharing insight on the spread within the community.

Every week, the reports are counted and posted on the dashboard to have immediate information available. Fortunately, as of now, the numbers have been comparatively low, and it is hoped for these to be maintained. Cotillier interprets these figures as a sign of the serious efforts from the community to do their diligence and keep safe, an effort well accepted as the population looks forward regaining some normalcy on the upcoming months.

The numbers available through the website are obtained by students and employees who have reported testing positive for COVID-19. However, it is important to emphasize that these reports have been obtained through the screening survey answered before entering campus as well as to the reports done to the COVID screener of Madison College—the screener is available to assist and answer any questions regarding the virus as well as to inform of protocols following the positive test.

It is important to accentuate that the positive cases shown are not caused from transmission within campus, like mentioned before, they come from reports done through email, the survey, as well as via phone calls.

“Take care of yourself. Please stay home if you don’t feel well. If you do have questions call the screener. We are here to help and serve,” commented Cotillier.

The COVID-19 Dashboard is available through the Madison College website or through the following link: https://madisoncollege.edu/covid-dashboard. For any questions, inquiries, or to report a positive COVID test you can contact the COVID screener via email at [email protected] or by calling at (608) 243-4880. Both forms of communication are answered throughout the day. Phone calls are answered depending on call volume; however, callbacks are being done.