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
Virginia Maxwell, D.Phil., is a leader in the field of investigating animal cruelty, and she has developed a new online graduate certificate that is among the only such programs in the country.
June 3, 2021
When Virginia Maxwell, D.Phil., was a child, she brought in the newspaper one morning and was shocked by what she saw: a photo of beagles being forced to inhale cigarette smoke. The dogs were part of an experiment to determine whether or not smoking cigarettes caused cancer. Dr. Maxwell, who was an animal lover then as well as now, was horrified by the now iconic photo.
Nearly a decade ago, Dr. Maxwell learned of a particularly heinous case of animal abuse in Quincy, MA, now known as the “Puppy Doe” case. A pit bull – that had been so badly abused that it later had to be euthanized – escaped its abuser by dragging itself out of the house, since it could no longer walk. The dog’s owner was convicted of 12 counts of animal cruelty, gaining the attention of animal activists across the country – including Dr. Maxwell.
“The poor dog had been offered on Craigslist as ‘free to a good home,’ and over more than 70 days, she was brutally abused,” explained Dr. Maxwell, a forensic science professor at the University. “The abuser has the record for the highest sentence in an animal cruelty case. When I returned to my faculty position after serving as associate dean, I decided to focus on animal cruelty investigation.”
Dr. Maxwell is now helping to train the next leaders in investigating animal cruelty cases. She has developed a new graduate certificate in animal cruelty investigation at the University, a one-year program that will begin this fall. Because it is fully online, it is open to students around the world. Students will be also able to begin the program in January.
“The program is basically the first of its kind in the country,” said Dr. Maxwell, who is also co-writing a textbook on crime scene investigation for animal cruelty. “There aren’t many programs like this out there, and I’m excited to get it off the ground. It’s been a dream of mine to do this. Because we have the might of the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, we’re a good fit for this.”
Designed for students in a wide variety of fields, the certificate is intended for those who might be first responders to an animal cruelty case, such as police and animal control officers. It also is geared toward lawyers as well as veterinarians or veterinary students who, Dr. Maxwell says, don’t always get to take a course on veterinary forensics.
The program includes four courses, and Dr. Maxwell hopes to later add electives to the curriculum. The first class, taught by Leila Dutton, Ph.D., a criminal justice professor, explores the link between animal cruelty and interpersonal violence. It will, says Dr. Maxwell, illustrate why it is so critical to intervene in cases of animal cruelty.
“Animal abuse is a predictor,” said Dr. Maxwell, who is also a passionate advocate for farm animals. “Child abuse, elder abuse, intimate partner abuse, and animal abuse all go hand in hand. If you have domestic violence in a household, most of the time you have animal cruelty going on as well. If we can intercept a teenager who is abusing animals, maybe we can stop them before they abuse people.”
The initial course is followed by “Animal Cruelty Investigation,” taught by Lisa Dadio M.S., MSW, a retired police lieutenant from the New Haven Police Department. It explores topics such as search warrants, which can be tricky, as animals are considered to be property. Students will also learn about documenting crime scenes and writing reports.
Dr. Maxwell teaches the third course, which covers forensic investigation of animal cruelty, including the evidence generated by certain types of cases. She has already taught this course in-person, and it has been very popular among her students.
The final course in the program will be an independent study, enabling the students, who will represent a wide variety of backgrounds, demographics, and fields, to explore what is most meaningful for them. They will have the opportunity to work closely with Prof. Dadio, Dr. Dutton, or Dr. Maxwell.
“I’m hoping this opportunity will give students a new perspective, maybe jumpstart a career change or change the way they’re currently doing their job,” said Dr. Maxwell. “I hope they realize how important this is, and not just because they are animal lovers. It’s important from the human perspective, too, because of this incredible link between animal cruelty and other criminal behavior.”
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.