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
Mehdi Mekni, Ph.D., is among a select group of academics and professionals in the U.S. to receive the competitive Fulbright Specialist Award. He will now complete a project at Mzuzu University in Malawi in Africa that endeavors to establish partnerships, exchange knowledge, and enhance computer science and information technology education.
September 26, 2022
Mehdi Mekni, Ph.D., has many years of experience in software programming and computer science – in the corporate world, as well as in research and academia. His background and expertise are getting noticed and have led him to a unique opportunity that is positioning him to make even more of a difference while expanding the University’s visibility on an international level.
Coordinator of the University’s undergraduate program in computer science, Dr. Mekni has received a competitive Fulbright Specialist Program Award that will enable him to collaborate with educators at Mzuzu University in Malawi, a country of nearly 20 million people in southeastern Africa. He will help the university enhance and expand its curricula in cybersecurity and networks.
“The idea is to create an institute for communications and technology at both the undergraduate and graduate levels,” he explains. “This would also include creating an affiliation at the international level – and this is where the University of New Haven would come into play.”
While Mzuzu University offers undergraduate programs in information technology and data science, it hopes to introduce postgraduate courses in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence that would prepare students for in-demand positions industry-wide.
As part of his project, Dr. Mekni will evaluate the proposed curriculum development and help ensure that Mzuzu University’s courses are up-to-date and meet current industry standards. He’d review the current programs and offer direction on how to enhance them. He’d also develop teaching materials and practical labs and help the university improve collaborations with other institutions.
“I think I have a duty to be a part of the process of enhancing education,” said Dr. Mekni. “I want to assist other institutions and help them move forward.”
Dr. Mekni, who had been placed on the highly competitive Fulbright Specialist Roster, was eligible to be matched with projects designed by institutions in more than 150 countries around the world. The Roster, a program of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and World Learning (an international nonprofit organization), offers academics and professionals in the U.S. opportunities to take part in project-based exchanges at host institutions around the world. It connects professionals and institutions on projects in two dozen disciplines and focus areas that would leverage Fulbright award recipients’ backgrounds and expertise.
"We are very excited to broaden our global educational impact in Africa with Dr. Mekni's work on capacity building in Malawi,” said Ronald Harichandran, Ph.D., P.E., dean of the University’s Tagliatela College of Engineering and vice provost for research. “He will build a relationship between Mzuzu University and the University of New Haven that promises to serve as a bridge to strengthen future collaborations and allow students from Malawi to study at our University."
Recipients of the awards are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, demonstrated leadership in their respective fields, and their potential to foster international collaboration. Past recipients have included heads of state, Nobel Laureates, and Pulitzer Prize winners.
“I think the Fulbright program, beyond collaboration, could also create much more global visibility for the University of New Haven,” said Dr. Mekni.
Because of the impact of the pandemic, candidates are serving a four-year tenure rather than a term of three years. Though travel was suspended during the pandemic, it has now restarted. Dr. Mekni’s tenure, which began earlier this year, will continue through February 2026. He plans to go to Malawi later this fall.
“I want to go to Malawi not only to develop and enhance educational programs, but as an ambassador for the University of New Haven,” he said. “My vision is to bring value to both universities. This is a wonderful opportunity.”
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.