Volume 94, Issue 5 | September 26, 2012
the
Charger Bulletin The official student newspaper of the University of New Haven since 1938.
www.ChargerBulletin.com
UNH Acquires New Campus UNH Freshmen Help Stranded Student Site in Orange
By ELIZABETH R. FIELD EDITOR-IN-CHEIF
–––––––––––––––––––––––––– Only a few short days after the dedication of Bergami
Hall, President Kaplan gave an exclusive interview to The Charger Bulletin regarding the acquisition of former Hubbell Electronics headquarters to be used to house the ever-expanding UNH graduate programs. The Hubbell Electronics building is located in nearby Orange, Conn., only a short commute for the main campus. This site has been on the market for nearly two years, allowing the university to make a reasonable offer and secure proper time for board approval, which was finalized just this week. The 47-acre, 70,000 square foot site is centrally located adjacent to the Wilbur Cross Parkway and features three attached buildings, a private lake, and is surrounded by over 400 acres of woods. “We obviously needed more
space and this is by far the most attractive location we have seen. It is a beautiful setting and as a former corporate headquarters, it is a nicer building than I have seen on any campus,” President
Kaplan told the Bulletin Monday. Many aspects of this deal are still in the early planning stages; however, the focus of this facility will be to take off some of the pressures faced by the main campus. The focus of the new site will be to house graduate programs, however the particular details as to which programs will be moved from the main campus are still under discussion. The former Hubbell Electronics headquarters has generous space that will be converted to classrooms, science and computer labs, and faculty offices. Great news for disgruntled student commuters: the site features ample surface and underground parking spaces. UNH has recently seen a great deal of expansion. In the past year, the university has
Family Day 2012
start as Catalina Gonzalez –––––––––––––––––––––––––– performed live music for students and parents. A book drive was also hosted by the OfOn Sept. 22, 2012, the fice of Community Service, in University of New Haven was which donations were made to buzzing with activity as famiW.H.E.A.T in West Haven. lies flooded the main campus At 12 p.m., families gathered A CHARGER BULLETIN NEWS STORY
for the annual Family Day. This was a time for students, especially freshmen, to reconnect with their loved ones after nearly a month in college. The day of festivities also gave parents the opportunity to explore the many nooks and crannies of the UNH campus, as well as the attractions located in surrounding cities. The university, students, organizations and Student Activities prepared dozens of events for families to enjoy. The day got off to a strong
acquired, remodeled and opened the 10,000 square foot Charger Plaza, a former shopping plaza adjacent to the university on Campbell Avenue. Charger Plaza is now home to UNH’s growing ELS and Language programs and has added muchneeded parking for student commuters. The PHOTO PROVIDED BY UNHuniversity is also working closely with the city of West Haven during the process of obtaining properties in West Haven to house the planned Engineering and Science University Magnet School (ESUMS) building. While the school will be funded through state and city funding, UNH anticipates that the facilities will be made available for night classes and research projects, along with opportunities for engineering majors to tutor and mentor young students. President Kaplan hopes to see the new Orange location functioning for classes and university uses by next fall. “This is a very exciting opportunity and everyone I’ve spoken to including faculty, board members, and academic staff sees this as a transformational opportunity for the university.”
By LIANA TEIXEIRA ASSISTANT EDITOR
–––––––––––––––––––––––––– Taking care of a grossly intoxicated college student stranded in New Haven isn’t exactly what freshmen Dylan Rupprecht, Samantha MacDaniel and
PHOTO PROVIDED BY UNH WEBSITE
Luke McHugh expected when they ventured downtown for the first time at the start of the school year. That evening, the trio had decided to visit the local club scene. At the end of the night, a young man stumbled (quite literally) out of a different club and into the group as they waited for the UNH shuttle to arrive. That’s when Rupprecht noticed something was not right. “I had never seen anyone this intoxicated before in my life,” Rupprecht said, recalling the encounter. The individual appeared to be a college student, but it became clear that his state of intoxication would make it difficult to obtain any identifying information. “If you’ve ever been in driver’s ed and watched those
See FAMILY page 7
cate with the young man, MacDaniel noticed something even more alarming: “He was completely alone,” she said. Minutes passed before a group of five guys and girls approached, claiming to be the friends of the clearly drunk male. However, their arrival was not the blessing Rupprecht, MacDaniel and McHugh had been hoping for. One of the girls had apparently driven, and refused to take her friend back, fearing that he would damage the inside of the car. “They said ‘take him, we don’t want him. He’s going to throw up in our car,’” Rupprecht said. This comment made MacDaniel uneasy. “At that point we were reSee STRANDED page 5
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UNH Dedicates Residence Hall in Honor of Sam and Lois Bergami
By LYNN JENKINS, ESQ. STAFF WRITER
who was former chair and is a –––––––––––––––––––––––––– current member of the Board of Governors, is a UNH alumnus. He was awarded an EMBA from On Friday, Sept. 21, 2012, the College of Business in 1985. The most recent generous the New Hall student residence
PHOTO BY LIANA TEIXEIRA
outside Maxcy Hall to send off the Charger Pep Band as they headed to North Campus for the football game against St. Anselm at 1 p.m. Another treat offered to relatives was having the David A. Beckerman Recreation Center free for the entire day. Families were encouraged to enjoy everything the facility had to offer. Various trips were held throughout the day, both on and off campus. This included a his-
videos where people try to say words after an accident, but they mumble—he kind of sounded like that,” Rupprecht said. “You could not understand a word he said.” The students proceeded to ask the individual’s name, but to no avail. While trying to communi-
was renamed Bergami Hall in honor of Samuel S. Bergami, Jr., and his wife, Lois Stapleton Bergami, at a well-attended dedication ceremony. The UNH community, including senior members of administration, faculty, staff, students and friends, recognized the remarkable commitment of the Bergami family to the growth and development of the University through their past and present donations of time and money. Sam Bergami,
gift from the Bergami family allowed the university to purchase the 66,000-square-foot facility facing the Boston Post Road, which includes not only dorms, student lounges, classrooms and dining areas, but also essential administrative offices and retail space. Built in 2004 and on lease, the university was able to purchase the building at a cost of $12.5 million. The purchase was made possible through the assistance of
the Bergami gift—another in a lengthy line of charitable contributions which includes the Samuel S. Bergami, Jr., Learning Center for Finance and Technology, the Bergami Family Fitness Center, the Bergami Family Lecture Hall, and the Bergami Family Summer Internship Program. As well, the Bergami family has endowed several scholarships to assist and advance future generations of UNH students. At the unveiling ceremony, President Steven H. Kaplan remarked on the longstanding and storied philanthropy of Sam Bergami to UNH. In his lighthearted, but also serious and significant remarks, Kaplan noted that “with the exception of the Rockefellers, the name ‘Bergami’ is probably on more college buildings than any other name in the country.” In emphasizing the Bergami family’s generosity to the university, Kaplan further noted that “Sam is a millionaire now. He was a multimillionaire before he met me. Now, he claims me as a dependent on his tax returns.” Kaplan closed his remarks by noting that UNH will soon be the beneficiary of the BerSee BERGAMI page 4