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
Jennifer Passaretti of the University’s Department of Biology and Environmental Science gets out of the laboratory and on to the stage to play Zinnia Wormwood in Wallingford Community Theater’s ‘Matilda.’ The curtain comes up August 1 to 3 at 7:30 p.m.
July 31, 2019
Everything about Jennifer Passaretti’s stage debut has been bold – beginning with her audition. Singing in front of an audience for the first time, she chose what she calls a "very unorthodox" audition song: "Baby Shark," the popular and famously catchy children’s song. It turned out to be the right song to land her the comedic role of Mrs. Zinnia Wormwood in Wallingford Community Theater’s musical "Matilda."
Aside from her role as "elf #9" in her third grade Christmas play, Passaretti has never been on stage. For her role as Matilda’s self-absorbed and book-hating mother, she will be singing and dancing in front of an audience – something outside of her comfort zone.
"I pushed myself to do things that I never thought were possible," said Passaretti. "My big scene requires me to sing and dance at the same time, which requires a lot of breath control. I’m amazed at how much I can do now."
A comedy with more than 150 cast members, including many children, the musical takes center stage this week at Mark T. Sheehan High School in Wallingford. The curtain comes up nightly from Thursday through Saturday, August 1 to 3, at 7:30 p.m.
Based on the children’s novel "Matilda" by Roald Dahl, the musical is about Matilda Wormwood, a young, brilliant girl who loves to read and who has developed special powers. Her cruel, dimwitted parents don’t know that she is a genius, and she has a few tricks up her sleeve for them, as well as for the bully headmistress at her school.
The popular book was also made into a movie, in which the real-life husband and wife team of Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman played Matilda’s parents. Similarly, Passaretti’s husband, Joe, plays Mr. Wormwood, and they auditioned together.
"I pushed myself to do things that I never thought were possible." Jennifer Passaretti
"It is so much fun to play a character who is my polar opposite," said Passaretti. "Zinnia Wormwood is obsessed with ballroom dancing, hates books, is extremely vain and self-absorbed, and believes that girls should be focused on hair and makeup. Playing a villain is so satisfying, but she is a loveable villain who genuinely wants to help smart girls become more like her."
Although this is Passaretti’s first role on stage, she hopes it will not be her last. She will be taking a directing course at the University this fall, and she hopes to get involved with other productions. But first, she is focused on making her acting debut.
"You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll root for the good guys and sometimes root for the bad guys," said Passaretti. "Many people are coming to see the play because they grew up reading the book. If you like dark humor, then this is the show for you."
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.