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DOÑA ANA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

DACC ramps up COVID-19 response, debuts dashboard

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Illustrating its expanding commitment to safe and healthy operations in the pandemic, Doña Ana Community College (DACC) has introduced a COVID-19 Dashboard.   

The dashboard, available through the website program Tableau Public, offers real-time data on COVID-19 and its impact on DACC. It also presents COVID-19 outcomes and prevention measures, like building check-in and contact tracing. According to a press release, DACC has prioritized safety by adopting cutting-edge public health prevention strategies.   

“From the start of the pandemic, we knew it would be critical to understand the latest public health guidance using local data and expertise,” said Dr. Monica Torres, DACC President.

Among the adaptations, Torres said, was an expansion of faculty capacity to teach online through the training of 342 additional faculty to support a 53 percent increase in online course offerings. Additionally, for courses with a hands-on component, DACC implemented COVID-safe practices like physical distancing, frequent disinfection and building check-ins, she said.   

Finally, Torres said, as exposures in the community grew, DACC utilized high-risk tracking and contact tracing to limit spread of COVID-19 among faculty, staff and students.  

“Transparency and data are critical in times of crisis. Our dashboard will democratize access to DACC’s COVID-19 data to our community and allow them to see the role they play in staying safe and healthy,” said Renee Pardee, DACC database report writer.   

Working with experts, including faculty from Communications and Public Health, DACC filtered through recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the New Mexico departments of health and higher education, as well as consultation with the NMSU Rapid Response Team to create a dynamic campus safety plan that includes building check-ins and screens campus visitors based on their risk, Torres said. 

“Staff and faculty across campus have conversations with colleagues and students,” said Amy Collins, professor of public health and DACC’s COVID-19 safety coordinator. “When someone is identified as a person who might be at-risk of exposure to COVID-19, our contact tracing team follows up, providing them resources and support.”   

Torres said the team approach has been effective.

 “We know that when we work collaboratively, listen to experts and communicate information clearly, we all become invested in keeping DACC healthy,” she said.  “Opportunity for our students is at the center of everything we do, and this dashboard gives our faculty and staff the public health information they need to act safely and support our students.” 

To view the DAAC dashboard, visit https://public.tableau.com/profile/do.a.ana.community.college.institutional.analysis#!/vizhome/DACCCOVIDTracking/DACCCOVIDDashboard.

Doña Ana Community College

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