MARQUETTE — Northern Michigan University is delaying its return to in-person classes and changing its masking protocol for staff and students as COVID-19 cases rise in the region, NMU Interim President Kerri D. Schuiling announced in a letter to the campus community Sunday.

Classes are cancelled Monday and Tuesday, with remote classes to be held Wednesday through Friday. This comes as the university changed its masking protocol for staff and students and awaits thousands of KN95 masks for its students. The semester was scheduled to start Monday.

The university’s business operations will remain open all week due to mask availability for staff.

The university has ordered 12,000 KN95 masks for students that are expected to arrive Wednesday.

See Monday’s edition of The Mining Journal for more details.