Classes at the U of M have been cancelled Monday and Tuesday next week and beginning Wednesday there will be nearly no in-person instruction.

The decision — announced this afternoon after the province ordered all kindergarten to Grade 12 classes closed for three weeks after March 23 — follows the revelation this week of four COVID-19 cases in Manitoba.

On Thursday, university administration announced that it intended to keep its campuses open but encouraged instructors to deliver courses remotely. Some courses continued Friday.

“This two-day pause allows the university to prepare to move classes to alternative modes of instruction,” U of M president David Barnard said in a letter to students issued after 4 p.m., adding that only in “rare exceptions” will any in-person instruction continue once classes resume Wednesday.

For the time being, the voluntary withdrawal date and exam period have not changed.

“Our staff are working hard to keep as much of the university operational as possible,” he said. “The University remains open and we are continuing to provide students with as many essential services as possible under the circumstances.”

“As we reflect on all the information coming our way during this challenging period, I ask everyone to demonstrate patience and understanding,” he added.