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
Robert L. Dilenschneider ’12 Hon. has decades of experience in the field of public relations, and he recently visited the University virtually to discuss the importance of effective communication, particularly during the coronavirus global pandemic.
March 5, 2021
Jackson Chamberlain ’23 aspires to run a hotel at Walt Disney World one day. A hospitality and tourism management major, he is particularly interested in restoring travel and entertainment safely amid the coronavirus global pandemic.
Chamberlain recently attended a virtual talk by Robert L. Dilenschneider ’12 Hon., the founder and principal of The Dilenschneider Group, a firm that provides strategic advice and counsel to Fortune 500 companies and prominent individuals around the world. Chamberlain has seen how hard the hospitality industry has been impacted by the coronavirus global pandemic, and he wanted to learn what Dilenschneider, who is called the “Dean of American Public Relations Executives,” would suggest to help the industry rebound.
“Mr. Dilenschneider has a lot of good connections, and I really wanted to hear what they were doing during the pandemic,” he said. “This was a great opportunity for me because I was able to learn good communication skills that could be used to assure the public that it would be safe to re-open hotels.”
Dilenschneider, who previously served as president and chief executive officer of Hill and Knowlton, Inc., a global public relations consulting company, has authored more than a dozen books. He offered students advice on how to communicate effectively, encouraging them to define their audience, their message, and the vehicles they use to reach their audience.
Stressing the importance of discipline and repetition when communicating, Dilenschneider discussed how the pandemic has impacted communication. He also discussed different ways of communicating, citing, for example, a former client, Whitney Houston, who communicated through music.
“We’re dealing with the pandemic and a struggling economy, but the basics of communication remain the same,” he said. “Has Zoom changed things? You bet. People can now see the person speaking. Try to communicate in a way that’s comfortable – not to you, but to your audience.”
Prof. Angelica Gianchandani, an adjunct faculty member in the University’s Pompea College of Business, moderated the discussion. A global brand strategist and communications leader who has spearheaded marketing initiatives for global brands such as BMW, Prof. Gianchandani discussed how the pandemic has changed the way people connect with each other.
“Perhaps COVID has fast-forwarded the adoption of technology, and we’re all learning that change is constant,” she said. “We’re learning how to pivot. It’s also enforced the importance of kindness, empathy, and flexibility.
“Our students have been at the forefront of embracing all of this, which is terrific,” she continued. “Communication is so powerful, and it has the strength to create stronger communities and create the optimism that we need right now.”
Students had the opportunity to ask Dilenschneider questions, sharing their own experiences during the pandemic, and seek his advice. He shared what he has learned, offering wisdom and encouragement.
“Terrific students make the Pompea College of Business what it is,” he said. “The business school is one of better business schools in the world.”
Chamberlain, the hospitality and tourism management major, says he is grateful to have had the opportunity to attend Dilenschneider’s talk.
“This was very important to me because I want to run a hotel in the future,” he said. “Since the pandemic might be around for a long time, I want to make sure that I have the skills I will need and that I can provide my customers a good time as well as keep them safe.”
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.