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
At the beginning of the semester, Christina Zito, Ph.D. piloted the use of Labster, a virtual lab simulation. That experience has been valuable as she and her colleagues across the University are implementing innovative learning solutions that are enabling students, in light of the global coronavirus pandemic, to successfully continue their coursework remotely.
March 23, 2020
James DeFrancesco ’20, ’22 M.S. admits he was initially concerned when he learned at the start of the semester that his cell biology course would include some online lab work. He quickly found, though, that the innovative tools he had access to provide an efficient and effective way to learn.
“Lab experience is essential for my education,” said DeFrancesco, a forensic science major who will begin pursuing a master’s degree in cellular and molecular biology in the fall. “We have been using an online lab simulation called Labster that has enabled us to perform digital experiments.”
Leading DeFrancesco’s course is Christina Zito, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the University of New Haven’s Biology and Environmental Science Department. At the start of this semester she piloted this semester the use of Labster to supplement her students’ learning.
"We are all working together to make the best of it, and to make sure our students continue to learn."Christina Zito, Ph.D.
The experience Dr. Zito gained implementing Labster has been valuable as she moves all of her courses online following the University’s decision – in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic – to continue remotely for the balance of the spring semester.
Dr. Zito is sensitive to the fact that one of the challenges for students learning remotely is completing lab work, and she is continuing to explore ways to support students who are doing laboratory research projects. She has been in touch with textbook publishers and learning tool companies, researching how they are making their content and tools available virtually.
"This is an opportunity to implement new tools for learning," she said. "We are choosing simulations that closely align with the work we had intended to do in the lab. We will have the students do the simulated lab, and we are working on ways to provide real data that the students can use for analysis."
Many of Dr. Zito’s colleagues are also experimenting with Labster or similar platforms and online academic resources. They have been supporting each other to ensure that, together, they can continue to provide the high level of support for students.
"We’ve been sharing tips, tricks, and ideas about different online learning tools and strategies for transitioning to remote learning," she said. "We are all working together to make the best of it, and to make sure our students continue to learn."
While she has routinely taught online classes and is familiar with a variety of online learning tools, Dr. Zito says it is challenging to convert face-to-face classes to remote-learning courses. She’ll be recording her lectures and making them available to students online, and she’s endeavoring to stick to the schedules outlined in her syllabi. She’s also exploring using Zoom, an online meeting tool, for office hours, for advising, and for meeting with her classes.
"I am breaking everything up into much smaller units and providing opportunities for more frequent assessment between each unit," she says. "This is to ensure that students don’t feel overwhelmed – and for me to be sure they are keeping up. I will miss seeing them all face to face, but this seems like a good way to still interact with them."
We've launched the Charge Ahead Student Support Fund in an effort to raise financial assistance for our students for such necessities as remote learning technology, food, housing, medical expenses, and other emergency needs. Please click here to make a contribution that will assist those in our University community who need our support.
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.