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
Working on a final project for a mechatronics class, a team of engineering majors created a pirate ship robot that uses sensors to navigate a line track while detecting obstacles.
January 30, 2019
For a mechatronics class, Skyler Iafrate '19, a mechanical engineering major, had to build a robot that could follow a task and interact with sensors. Although he and his group didn’t initially set out to build a pirate ship, they were soon hooked on the idea.
"We found some Pirates of the Caribbean music online, and we thought it would be fun to make our robot pirate-related," said Iafrate. "We wanted to have fun with it."
The team, which included Jesse Philippi ’19, Cody Nieves ’19, and Reinaldo Buitron ’19, sailed through building the robot, first buying a toy pirate ship, then cutting out a space for wheels and drilling holes for sensors. The robot’s voyages don’t take it to sea; rather, it navigates along a black line outlining a curvy track, with its sensors detecting the line and keeping the robot from going off course. Along with their robot, the students also built important working relationships with each other, and with Cheryl Li, their instructor.
"It’s not an individual task – you network with your team," said Buitron. "You have people supporting you. Creating this robot gave me the skills I will need in my career while creating a bond with my professor and my peers."
Li, an associate professor of mechanical engineering, says the students went above and beyond in their efforts. Dubbed "The Charging Charger," the robot incorporated the pirate theme and Charger pride, with the masts proudly displaying Charlie the Charger, which the students traced by hand.
"I showed it to my friends, and they asked where they could buy it."Cheryl Li, Ph.D.
"I was surprised when I first saw it, since in the past no one had thought about decorating their robot like this," Li said. "I showed it to my friends, and they asked where they could buy it."
Though not for sale, the robot is already regarded as a treasure in the Tagliatela College of Engineering. The students found the project to be a terrific opportunity to explore something new.
"We got a better idea of how computers function at their foundational level," said Philippi. "Learning about coding was valuable. Now I know enough about coding to know how much I still don’t know."
The course gives students a unique hands-on approach to connecting and controlling sensors, motors, and encoders while presenting students with an opportunity for collaboration, innovation, and creativity.
"This mechatronics class gives us an introduction to integrating mechanics and helps us learn how to use sensors and start coding," said Nieves. "It’s helped me with my senior design class, since I can now help with coding and troubleshooting."
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.