DURHAM — The University of New Hampshire told students and staff Thursday it will move classes online for two weeks following spring break due to concerns over the coronavirus.

UNH President James Dean, who a day earlier sent an email to the school community stating classes would resume as normal after the break, sent another email Thursday stating the circumstances have changed.

"When UNH spring break for the Durham and Manchester campuses ends and classes resume Monday, March 23, we will enter into a two-week period during which all academic programs will be 100% online or via other alternative (non-face-to-face) course delivery," Dean wrote.

The two-week period would extend to Friday, April 3.

"Face-to-face classes are currently scheduled to resume Monday, April 6. We will keep you informed if this changes," Dean wrote.

The university will otherwise remain open for normal business operations, he added.

He also wrote students who are "self-quarantined may not return to campus until the end of the self-quarantine period, adding, "From Monday, March 23, to Friday, April 3, there is no need for students to return to campus."

All student meetings and events and external events on campus are canceled through April 5, Dean wrote.

During the two-week transition period, on-campus housing will be available on a restricted basis, according to Dean. He said students call can the housing office at (603) 862-2120. Residence halls are currently scheduled to reopen April 5 at 9 a.m.

"We will continue to closely monitor and evaluate information and guidance provided by state and federal authorities in order to inform future decisions," Dean wrote, advising students and staff to watch for more updates.

Keene State College is suspending all face-to-face classes for two weeks starting March 23, after next week’s spring break. The college is also requiring students, staff and faculty to register their domestic and international travel plans with the college. A similar registration requirement is in place at the New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord, part of the state community college system.

Plymouth State University students were on spring break this week, and classes will resume as scheduled Monday. But the university said courses will be available online for any student who chooses not to return for any reason, not just those who are quarantined.

"While we look forward to students returning to campus, we understand that there are some students and families who may not be comfortable doing this," the university said.

Dartmouth College is asking all undergraduate students to leave campus as soon as their final exams end Friday. It plans to make a decision by Monday about how to handle spring classes set to start March 30. The college’s graduate business school, meanwhile, will move its classes online for the first two weeks of its spring term, which starts March 23.

Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester also is moving all instruction online from March 16 through March 29. And other private colleges, including New England College in Henniker, are preparing for the possibility of moving classes online.

While no primary or secondary schools in New Hampshire have closed for more than a day or two, state Department of Education officials asked Thursday for a federal waiver to ensure children who rely on school lunches could still receive them if schools shut down. The requested waivers would allow schools to offer "grab and go" meal service and would allow schools to still get reimbursed for meals even if they have to depart from menu requirements due to disruptions in food shipments.

Materials from The Associated Press were used in this report.

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