Responding to Covid-19

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Return-to-Better

 

Active cases
includes faculty/staff and students, both on and off campus
Recovered
includes faculty/staff and students, both on and off campus
Total
includes faculty/staff and students, both on and off campus
Last updated 05/13/2022

Total: Total number of cases (Active and Recovered) among Students, Faculty, and Staff, both on and off campus, since tracking began for the 2021-2022 academic year.
Active: Positive cases not yet recovered.
Recovered: Able to resume normal activities.

As of Friday, May 13, 2022, we have suspended tracking cases for the 2021-2022 Academic Year.

To date, no cases of COVID-19 among the community of Edgewood College have required hospitalization. 

 

 

Return to Better

We are committed to a return to classes on campus and in-person when the 2021-‘22 academic year gets underway.

Our students expect to engage with our outstanding faculty and with one another – both in and out of the classroom – and they expect to do that in-person, in one of the best college towns in America – Madison.  That's why we are committed to teaching and learning in classrooms, and in-person, this fall.

Our Return to Better Task Force is taking steps to make that happen - not to return to ‘normal,’ but to return to better, applying all the lessons we have learned and continue to learn through the experience of the pandemic.

Protocol Update - Masks Required Indoors

August 4, 2021

We are not out of this pandemic. Effective Thursday, August 5, 2021, masks are required inside campus buildings for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors. This requirement applies to everyone - those who are fully-vaccinated, and those who are not. As a valued member of the community, you will hear when this latest update to our protocol is no longer necessary. We do this for each other, because from the beginning of this pandemic, we have shown each other and Greater Madison that we live our values of Community and Compassion.

Again - getting vaccinated – for all who are eligible – is the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We urge each member of our community to be vaccinated. 

-Dr. Heather Harbach
V.P. for Student Development/Dean of Students

Update

July 1, 2021

As a community we have followed the guidance of our public health professionals since the beginning of this pandemic. The CDC and the Wis. Department of Health Services recommends that all who are eligible be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Therefore, we too are strongly urging each member of our community to be vaccinated.

Students – we have created a simple form for you to update your COVID-19 vaccination status, and have sent you the link via email. You will indicate whether you have been vaccinated, whether you plan to but have not yet, or whether you do not plan to be vaccinated against COVID-19. 

Please complete this simple form now, and no later than Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021.

There will be continued updates for students as we approach our fall semester, including some very attractive reasons for completing the form. (Did someone say ‘big scholarships?’ And ‘free parking spaces?’) Please remember to check your email often throughout the summer.

If you have any questions, please email deanofstudents@edgewood.edu. If you need assistance finding a vaccination appointment, reach out, we are here to help! 

Enjoy your summer!

-Dr. Heather Harbach
V.P. for Student Development/Dean of Students

Student, Faculty, and Staff Pledge 2020-21

Preventing the spread

In order to do everything we can to keep all of our community as safe as possible, the Edgewood College community will adhere to a number of safety protocols during the 2020-2021 Academic Year as a way of minimizing risk of the spread of COVID-19. These protocols are based on guidelines provided by Public Health Madison Dane County.

As a member of this Community, I will…

  • Wash my hands properly and regularly.
  • Cover any coughs or sneezes.
  • Comply with posted Public Health Madison Dane County requirements.  
  • Wear a mask covering my nose and mouth while in indoor spaces.
  • Maintain social distancing.
  • Assist in the use of disinfectant wipes to clean shared public workspaces prior to use.
  • Take reasonable precautions to avoid contracting COVID-19 both on- and off-campus.
  • Avoid public places and minimize interpersonal contacts if I have been exposed or have any symptoms of any illness.
  • Report any potential exposure or symptoms to the College and follow any instructions to seek medical care or to quarantine.
  • Agree to be tested for COVID-19, as prescribed by health care professionals. Agree to be cooperative and flexible as we work together to support one another and give our community the best balance of learning and safety.

COVID-19 Reporting for 2020-21

We tracked positive cases of COVID-19 beginning in August of 2020. Data includes students, faculty, and staff. This data includes both on-campus and off-campus students, faculty, and staff. We reached a peak of active cases (28) on September 19-20, 2020. 

For 2020-21, we managed a total of 171 positive cases. None of those cases are associated with on-campus transmission. No case required hospitalization, and all cases reported as recovered.

 

 

Covid-19 Updates

These pages are a resource for students, parents, and our entire community.

 

Covid Statement

Mar 5, 2020, 9:00 AM

(The following is an email sent to Students, Faculty, and Staff on Thursday morning, March 5, 2020)

Edgewood College faculty and staff have been working diligently to stay ahead of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) developments worldwide in order to keep students, faculty, and staff safe and healthy. Given the recent national attention regarding Coronavirus, it is important that we are well-informed, aware of all inherent risks and taking steps to ensure a healthy campus environment.  College officials are meeting on a regular basis to review and plan for the potential short-term and long term effects of the global outbreak on our campus community.  The purpose of this letter is to provide you with more specific information regarding work that is being done on our campus to monitor the spread of coronavirus, the importance of continuity of our classes, travel consideration information and updates. 

As recent news reports indicate, COVID-19 has been identified in many countries, including cases in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is closely monitoring the situation and continues to assess the risk to the general public in the U.S. as low.

Anyone with general questions about the virus can visit the CDC website or the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) at the following links:

Continuity of Classes at Edgewood College

Faculty and students are concerned about being able to complete courses this semester if we experience an outbreak that results in potentially closing face to face course offerings for any period of time.  It’s important to consider both pedagogic and technological plans for moving instruction online. The College Online team provides us with important information to prepare us for the possibility of teaching online.  Please take advantage of these opportunities:

  • Virtual Brown Bag: How to Move Your Class Online in Inclement Weather or Health Emergencies
    Dates:March 5th and 6th from Noon - 1:00 p.m.

Travel Considerations

Faculty, Staff and Student Travel- we are paying close attention to CDC analysis as well as the US Department of State recommendations regarding travel. A recent statement by the CDC was issued on March 1, 2020 regarding guidance for student foreign travel for Institutions of Higher Education:  
http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/student-foreign-travel.html

We are in the process of reviewing this recommendation along with US Department of State advisories, international education organizations recommendations, and bench-marking with other colleges and universities.  The Center for Global Education is in contact with our current study abroad students and with the program directors for our short-term faculty-led programs that are scheduled to travel this semester.  The health, safety, and well-being of our students is of utmost importance and we will continue to closely monitor the situation and make program adjustments as deemed appropriate.   

We do not have any students currently studying in countries where the CDC has recommended US citizens avoid nonessential travel.  Sara Liang, Co-Director for the Center for Global Education, has been carefully evaluating COVID-19 impacted destinations with regard to student, staff, and faculty travel, working in alignment with the CDC’s current guidance regarding travel.

Other programs and planned travel, especially over spring break, are being evaluated in real time as the outbreak unfolds globally. Should a planned program or travel be affected, Sara Liang, in consultation with the Academic Dean’s Office and impacted faculty and staff, will directly contact the individuals involved in the program in order to provide guidance and assistance.

All travelers are encouraged to think carefully about any planned travel, especially internationally, and to assess the risks both of their destination(s) and of traveling through domestic and international areas where the virus has been confirmed. The Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Center for Global Education ask all faculty, staff and students who are returning to the U.S. from a country with a CDC warning level 3 or alert level 2 to self-quarantine for 14 days from the date of departure before returning to the Edgewood’s campus.  This means staying home and not going to work, classes, athletic events, or other social gatherings, and monitoring your health.  See the Wisconsin Department of Health Services for more details.

Stay Healthy- disease prevention precautions

Although we are monitoring the progression of COVID-19 carefully, colds and the flu are much more prevalent on campus so it’s a good time to remind everyone, especially students, to take the following steps to stay healthy: 

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Follow these five steps and encourage students to do the same:
  • Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
  • Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
  • Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. If you think 20 seconds isn’t long, it’s the same length of time as humming the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
  • Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
  • Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Stay hydrated and get plenty of rest.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Please encourage students to stay home from class and other events if they are feeling sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
  • Get your flu vaccine. It’s not too late!

We will continue to provide periodic updates to the campus community via email. The College is committed to keeping the community well-prepared, well-informed and healthy.  

President Mary Ellen Gevelinger, OP, EdD
and
Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs/Academic Dean Margaret Noreuil, PhD, RN