In-Person Meetings for Classes on Monday, January 26, 2026 are Cancelled; Online/remote classes to be held as determined by Faculty.
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.
Incoming Students Charged Up for In-Person Orientation
Held in person for the first time since 2019, the University’s Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR) program offers the newest Chargers a fun opportunity to connect with their future classmates and members of the University community.
June 30, 2022
By Renee Chmiel, Office of Marketing and Communications
Orientation and transition leaders welcomed new students to the University community.
On a recent visit to the University of New Haven, Michael Chung ’26 and his parents met with staff from offices across the University. It was an opportunity for Chung to learn more about the support and resources that will be available to him when he officially joins Charger Nation this fall.
Chung was exploring the resource fair held as part of the Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR) program. The two-day program provided a taste of what life as a student will be like when he begins his time at the University.
“It was great to meet so many people,” said Chung, an incoming civil engineering major. “I enjoyed it, and it was a lot of fun. Being at the University in person like this was a great way to make some new friends who may be friends for the next four years or, even, for life. I felt so welcome at the University.”
‘I’m very excited for the new experiences I’ll have’
SOAR brings together the University’s incoming Chargers for an opportunity to connect with their classmates and to learn more about the countless opportunities, services, and sources of support at the University. It is designed to ensure a smooth transition to Charger Nation.
Students, and their parents and families, learn about the myriad of resources available to them at the University as well as student life and how to get involved on campus. They also interact with the dean of their academic college or school as well as students from their program of study. Two SOAR sessions took place in June, and two more are planned for July.
“It was great to meet with my new advisers and professors,” said Molly Fitzpatrick ’26, an incoming a psychology major. “Everyone at the University was so welcoming. I’m very excited for the new experiences I’ll have at the University and to have more independence.”
Every summer, a team of current students helps to welcome their new classmates. Serving as orientation coordinators or orientation and transition leaders, they offer support and ensure the incoming Chargers feel welcome and experience a sense of community.
This year’s program was particularly exciting as it was the first time SOAR was held in-person since 2019.
Michael Chung ’26 and his parents visited the Center for Student Engagement, Leadership, and Orientation table at the resource fair.
‘The feeling of community’
Amber Cholewa ’25, an orientation and transition leader, is spending the summer welcoming members of the Class of 2026. Her own SOAR experience last summer was virtual because of the pandemic, and she is excited that her new classmates get to experience the program in person.
“I really hope they enjoy the in-person factor,” said Cholewa, a health sciences major. “I hope being at the University with everyone before school starts enhances their Charger experience. I’m enjoying being here and getting to know the incoming students.”
One of Cholewa’s fellow orientation and transition leaders Rebecca Lovatt ’24 was also excited to be a part of a fun and welcoming experience for the new students.
“It’s nice to get everyone back on campus,” said Lovatt, also a health sciences major. “During COVID, it was hard to have the feeling of community that we wanted, and I hope welcoming this new class helps that feeling come back even more. I attended a virtual SOAR in 2020, and I’m enjoying this in-person program vicariously through the incoming students. I was thinking, ‘this is so cool,’ and it adds even more to the University’s charm.”
Students and orientation leaders play a game on the lawn.
‘It’s great to be at the University in person’
In addition to academic planning, course registration, and introductions to University faculty and staff members, new students had a variety of fun opportunities to connect with each other. It was the evening activities on the first day of the program that were particularly enjoyable for Samantha Villa ’26.
“I liked the Readers Theatre and the s’mores, campfire, and karaoke,” said Villa, who will study criminal justice. “It was the first time we got to spend time with other students and do fun things together, just like we will in college. I’m also very excited about beginning classes in my major. Meeting people in the department was cool, and it helped me feel more secure.”
It was the opportunities to make these connections and the feeling they were already a part of the University community that was so important to incoming students such as Lila Devlin-Perry ’26. When she attended the resource fair at the end of her SOAR program, she had already made some new friends, and she was already looking forward to studying abroad at the University’s campus in Prato, Italy.
“I’m really happy we got to attend SOAR in person after all the virtual things we did in high school,” said Devlin-Perry, a dental hygiene major. “It’s great to be at the University in person for SOAR, to stay in the residence halls, and to get a better feel of the University of New Haven experience.”
Lila Devlin-Perry ’26 (right), Molly Fitzpatrick ’26 (center), and Samantha Villa ’26 at the resource fair.