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
As a firefighter and forensic scientist, respectively, Andrew Dinkel ’01 and Connie (Amato) Dinkel ’03, ’05 M.S. have the careers they’d dreamed of since they were kids. They say they owe much of their success to their time at the University.
October 21, 2020
When Andrew Dinkel ’01 was growing up, he dreamed of becoming a firefighter with the New York City Fire Department. He is now doing just that – and saving lives.
Recently, Dinkel and his fellow firefighters were called to West 78th Street off Broadway, where two workers were trapped 10 stories up after their scaffolding collapsed. They were clutching their harnesses and hanging onto a window ledge. After rescuing one of them, firefighters had to go up on the roof, and it was Dinkel who propelled down to rescue the second worker. Everyone made it down safely.
“Helping people when they are in need is one of the most satisfying parts of this job,” said Dinkel, who earned a degree in arson investigation. “It is what we train for day and night, and it feels great when you do it well. Our success that day is a direct result of the team we get to work with, men and women who you know will stop at nothing to accomplish the mission.”
As a kid, Dinkel looked up to his godfather, a volunteer firefighter in North Lindenhurst, New York. Interested in a career as a firefighter, Dinkel visited the University of New Haven with his entire family, and, before long, he knew he’d found his home for the next four years. He says it was the only school to which he applied.
After earning his degree, Dinkel served as a firefighter with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department in Fairfax County, Virginia, before joining the FDNY.
“The last 17 years with the FDNY have been an absolute pleasure,” said Andrew. “I feel incredibly fortunate to have achieved my dream. It is an incredible feeling to help people in their most vulnerable moments, but working with the other members of the department to accomplish our mission is the most satisfying part.”
As a student, Dinkel was an active member of the University community, serving as a resident assistant in Bixler Hall, a member of the University’s Fire Science Club, and president of the Undergraduate Student Government Association. A member of Students Making an Impact on their Living Environment (SMILE), he and several classmates helped revitalize the University’s German Club. He enjoyed being a part of what he says was a “close-knit community.”
One of his classmates, Connie (Amato) Dinkel ’03, ’05 M.S., is now his wife of 14 years. They met when she was a first-year student – Andrew was a resident assistant in her residence hall.
Now a forensic scientist, Connie is the quality manager for the Suffolk County Crime lab in Hauppauge, New York. She became interested in forensic science when she was in high school.
“I was intrigued by the aspects of the job that included investigating what actually happened at a scene,” said Connie, who majored in forensic science and earned her master’s degree in labor relations. “Once I discovered what the University of New Haven offered and I went to see the campus, I knew I was in the right place. As a forensic scientist, going out to crime scenes to help those who cannot help themselves is what I enjoy the most about my job.”
Also a former USGA president, Connie served as a resident assistant as well, and she was a member of the University’s forensic science and chemistry club. She says she’s grateful for the relationships she made at the University, and for the guidance of her faculty mentors.
“Working with and being taught by professors who were actually in the field prepared me for what to expect while in the lab doing casework and going to scenes,” she said. “I think that without the hands-on training and the experience I had at the University, I wouldn't have been as prepared for what I encounter on a daily basis.”
The parents of a daughter, Madalyn, and son, Ean, Andrew and Connie now live in Sayville, New York. Many of their closest friends are their former classmates.
“The attributes I gained from living at the University of New Haven for four years directly contributed to the person I am today,” said Andrew. “The University means more to me than just where I attended college. I met people there who I will never forget for as long as I live, and I am thankful for the time I had at the University.”
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.