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
A virtual reality headset that enables students to learn about the human body may sound like science fiction, but it is now part of the classroom experience for students in the University's School of Health Sciences.
September 27, 2019
As Holly Barkal '21 guided members of the University community through a virtual room in which they could explore the different systems or parts of the human body, she noticed their amazement. They were immersed in an interactive world in which they could learn visually, while taking a "hands on" approach – even though they were not in a classroom at all.
Barkal made the presentation at the University's Centennial celebration last spring at the historic St. Regis in New York City, where she showed guests the cutting-edge virtual reality technology that students in the University's School of Health Sciences are now using in the classroom.
"People of all ages had the same response to the technology – they were amazed by how easy it is to use, said Barkal, a dental hygiene major. "They liked that they can direct the technology, and they were impressed by how real it seems. It will give students opportunities that they wouldn't otherwise have – even in a laboratory. Ultimately, it will benefit patients."
The virtual reality headsets include hardware – the HTC Vive Focus – and software called 3D Organon VR Anatomy. The University has ordered more than two dozen units, which will be used during the 2019-20 academic year.
"The jump is almost as large as one would experience going from radio to television, but instead of watching a screen, you are actually inside the software ... students are amazed when they use it for the first time."Ashish Upadhyaya, director of the Health Professions Advising Center
At the Centennial celebration, University of New Haven Board of Governors member David Peterson '88 tried one of the headsets, and it was one of his favorite moments of the evening.
"The virtual reality showcase was amazing," he said. "I'm glad to see the University moving in that direction."
Ashish Upadhyaya, MBA, a lecturer in the University's School of Health Sciences and director of the Health Professions Advising Center, says that students are equally impressed when they first use the technology.
"Even though they have heard about it, they are still unprepared for the experience when they actually use it," he said. "The jump is almost as large as one would experience going from radio to television, but instead of watching a screen, you are actually inside the software. Even after I explain it, students are amazed when they use it for the first time."
The technology is already being used in paramedicine classes in anatomy and physiology, and it places students directly in front of an anatomical model of a human body system. They can then explore systems, such as the digestive or circulatory system, or they can explore individual muscles, organs, or bones.
Upadhyaya says he hopes that biology students will begin using the technology in their courses as well.
"This is vital because this generation of students tends to be more visual learners," he said. "Students thrive when they are in a highly engaging environment, such as one that includes virtual reality technology."
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.