Public Safety is tracking a significant snowfall that will be arriving in our area late Sunday morning (Jan. 25). It will snow heavily throughout the day and evening eventually tapering off Monday (Jan. 26) with 10-14 inches expected statewide. A sleet and freezing rain mix is also possible along the shore. Temperatures will be in the teens and twenties.
Due to this significant winter storm and the extensive campus clean-up operations that will need to take place, all in-person day and evening classes scheduled for Monday, January 26, 2026 have been cancelled. All scheduled in-person classes will transition to being held online or remotely. Additional information on the virtual format for each class will be provided by your instructor.
Faculty have been asked to prepare for Online or Remote sessions in the event of in-person meeting cancellations. These options will be determined by the Faculty member and all questions should be directed to the Faculty teaching each course section. Faculty also have been asked to be very understanding and accommodating of the individual situations of their students who may have difficulty managing these alternative online or remote class meetings on short notice.
Please note that only essential employees, as previously determined by their respective department leaders, should report to campus. All other employees should fulfill the requirements of their role remotely.
Campus operations for residential students, unless otherwise noted, will operate as scheduled, though hours may be modified or changed based on the conditions. Separate messages will be sent from the Peterson Library, the Beckerman Recreation Center, and Dining Services regarding any changes to their normal hours of operation. The Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation will remain open for residential students to use for study space and to participate in online classes.
Off-campus students that live in the City of West Haven should abide by the city’s parking ban during inclement weather to avoid having their vehicle tagged and towed. Please check the City of West Haven’s website for further information on their snow parking ban.
The Charger Blog
Moved by the devastating impact that suicide had on the life of one of his students, Alvin Tran, Ph.D. is urging public health officials and lawmakers to address what he calls a “preventable public health problem,” as suicide rates among young people continue to increase across the country.
December 5, 2019
This semester I had the privilege of teaching two health-focused sections of “Principles of Communication,” commonly known as “COMM 1130” throughout campus. My students were mostly first-years and represented a number of the University’s majors – from health sciences and dental hygiene to biology and paramedicine.
As part of the course, I tasked my students to give a compelling oral presentation about a topic they are passionate about. And, they delivered. From eating disorders prevention to the need to address mental health concerns among youth, my students presented on a broad range of highly important topics.
One student’s presentation on overcoming adversity left our classroom (myself included) overcome with emotion. In her presentation, she described the impact of losing one of her close friends in high school to suicide – an event that not only affected her but those around her.
"I strongly believe in collective action to enact positive change."Alvin Tran, Ph.D.
To make it through this difficult time, her entire community of friends, teachers, and family members came together. They organized fundraisers and awareness campaigns around suicide prevention, particularly among youth. Most importantly, they were each other’s sources of support. Together as a community they were able to overcome the tragedy they faced.
Suicide, defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control as death caused by injuring oneself with the intent to die, is a large and growing public health issue. In the United States, it is the 10th leading cause of death across all age groups. It is also the second leading cause of death among young Americans between 15 to 24 years, according to a recent report from the National Center for Health Statistics. The recent data also suggest that the national suicide rate among adolescents is increasing.
In our great state of Connecticut, public health officials have not observed an increasing trend in suicide among teenagers. But our state is not completely out of the woods. Suicide remains prevalent across all age groups and is the highest among white men ages 45 years and older.
“Overall, from 2015 to 2019, people less than or equal to 24 years old account for 10 percent of Connecticut’s suicides,” according to epidemiologist Mike Makowski of the Connecticut Department of Public Health. “Ninety percent of Connecticut’s suicides occur in people who are 25 years old and older.”
So, what can be done to address this preventable public health problem in Connecticut?
As an assistant professor in health administration and policy, I strongly believe in collective action to enact positive change. To address suicide, metal health disorders, and other preventable health concerns in Connecticut, we – as residents of Connecticut – need to come together to voice our concerns, share the available research evidence we possess, and propose potential solutions to changemakers in our community, including our elected lawmakers. Our concerns and lived experiences matter and should be heard.
"We – as residents of Connecticut – need to come together to voice our concerns."Alvin Tran, Ph.D.
Fortunately, the University’s School of Health Sciences is in a unique position to collaborate with mental health experts and state- and local-level lawmakers to organize a policy summit to discuss the toll of suicide in our state.
We have planned a Suicide Prevention Policy Summit, scheduled for Wednesday, December 11, to highlight the growing concern around suicide and foster discussion around potential policy and community-level solutions our lawmakers can implement in Connecticut.
I invite all those interested in suicide prevention to register and attend this upcoming policy summit. Similar to the story my student shared in my COMM 1130 class, I believe this public health issue can be ultimately addressed through collective action. As a community, not only can we overcome adversity, but we can also use our collective minds to propose, inform, and enact changes to promote public health in our state.
University News
New University-wide council will advance strategic partnerships, immersive student opportunities, and innovative research, supporting the University’s strategic plan the development of its pioneering Center for Innovation and Applied Technology.
The Charger Blog
Entrepreneur David Sussman, Pompea College of Business Advisory Board Member and chief visionary officer of The Family Security Plan®, is collaborating with University of New Haven students, faculty, and staff to create a program and app that helps Chargers support each other to achieve academic, personal, and professional goals. It’s called Uccountability.
University News
Vice President for Innovation and Applied Technology Paul Lavoie will serve on the Board of Directors and as America’s Chief Manufacturing Officer for the newly launched American Manufacturing Futures Institute.