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
Sofia Martinez ’22 takes great pride in being a first-generation college student, and she is proud to be part of the University’s commemoration of First-Generation Celebration Day, a national initiative created by the Council for Opportunity in Education.
November 6, 2020
When Sofia Martinez ’22 was in high school, she and her family visited the University of New Haven while traveling to visit relatives. Although she had not yet decided where she wanted to attend college, when she arrived on campus, she knew she’d found the school for her. Since she officially became a Charger, she has been an active member of the University community.
A first-generation student, Martinez says the term is more than a just a label – it is reflective of students’ tenacity, drive, and hard work.
“We sometimes forget how much work and strength it takes to claim those two words,” she said. “To be a first-generation student means being a strong self-starter who looks inward to define their worth. This is incredibly meaningful to me because I know what it takes to get where I am, and I appreciate seeing others do the same.”
First-generation students such as Martinez make up a vibrant and important part of the University community. According to data collected from the Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement from the past two incoming classes, approximately 40 percent of the University’s full-time first-year students have indicated they are first-generation students. November 8 is First-Generation Celebration Day, and the University is recognizing the many students – as well as faculty and staff members and alumni – in its community who are – or were – first-generation college students.
The national celebration was created in 2017 by the Council for Opportunity in Education and Center for First-Generation of Success. Nov. 8 was selected as the date of the celebration to honor the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
The University is using its commemoration of First-Generation Celebration Day to launch an ongoing campaign that will regularly highlight the success of first-generation students in its community and alumni of the University who are the first in their families to earn a college degree.
“As a first-generation student, I understand that I must have faith in myself as an underdog,” said Martinez. “I saw parallels to the University as well, since it started off as a college borrowing Yale’s classrooms and converted its main building, Maxcy Hall, from an orphanage. It has since grown to be a successful four-year institution that is becoming increasingly well-known and prestigious.”
"To be a first-generation student means being a strong self-starter who looks inward to define their worth."Sofia Martinez ’22
President of the University’s Undergraduate Student Government Association, Martinez is grateful for the opportunities she has had to lead conversations that benefit the entire student body and the chances she has had to engage with the University community and administration. She says it has enabled her to grow as a leader.
“I love so much about this role – it is the embodiment of the focus on student experience,” she said. “It is unbelievable sometimes for me to see myself in this role. High school me would have been shocked and in disbelief.”
A communication major, Martinez switched her major from forensic psychology because, she says, she wanted to focus on something that was more “leadership and development driven.” She is passionate about education and endeavors to eventually work in higher education, a role that she hopes will enable her to teach and inspire others.
Continuing to set high goals for herself, Martinez hopes to apply for a Rhodes Scholarship and attend the University of Oxford before working in higher education in student affairs. She aspires to inspire other first-generation students to also aim high.
“My advice to other first-generation students is to have faith in yourself and know your worth,” she said. “We learn to rely on ourselves as first-generation students, and as good and inspiring as this is, you do not have to be alone because there are so many other individuals who can help you and want to help 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.