Dear Members of the UNH Community—
Happy New Year! Here’s to a 2021 filled with available vaccines and declining COVID-19 numbers. We hope you had a happy and healthy holiday season, and look forward to welcoming you back. While the start of the spring semester for Durham and Manchester has been delayed by a week—first day of classes is Monday, Feb. 1, 2021—it is quickly approaching, and the Law School starts classes Jan. 20. We are closely monitoring a number of factors, including an expected post-holiday wave of positive cases and emerging new strains of the virus. But at this time we plan to start the semester in the?yellow mode of operation?with students in campus housing, programs and activities following COVID-19 protocols, and continuing the blend of in-person and remote classes used in the fall.
Please continue to carefully watch your UNH email as there are a number of important steps you will need to take if you plan to return to one of our campuses.?Next week?you will receive an email on each of the topics below with specific actions that will need to be completed before coming back to UNH or starting the spring semester.
- Sign the Wildcat Pledge. This document confirms your commitment to participate in regular COVID-19 testing and follow all federal, state and university public health protocols around physical distancing, face coverings and gatherings. This is required for all students to have a valid Wildcat Pass and encouraged for employees to show support for our #UNHTogether campaign.
- Participate in pre-arrival and arrival testing. Students will confirm their testing schedule and employees will continue to test as scheduled; employees working remotely will continue?not?to test.
- Take the regular semester testing schedule survey
- Maintain a valid Wildcat Pass. Every member of our community is required to have a valid pass if they are coming to one of our campuses.
In closing, we want to address the vaccine. While first responders and healthcare workers who are part of our community have started to receive the vaccine, we do not yet have information on when it will be available to the broader community. We continue to work with the NH Department of Health and Human Services and the governor’s office and will notify you as soon as we have additional information related to campus distribution. You can monitor the state vaccination plan.
Stay safe and stay well.
James W. Dean Jr.
President
