Volume 99, Issue 2
September 5, 2017
West Haven, Conn.
THE
CHARGER BULLETIN
The student news source of the University of New Haven.
SLIDING INTO SILICON VALLEY
Student app “SlideDrive” getting noticed by investors
GO INSIDE WESTFEST CHARGERS START ON TOP
31-20 victory in first game, pg. 17
Pg. 3
The Charger Bulletin
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September 5, 2017
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Editor-in-Chief Glenn Rohrbacker Since 1938, The Charger Bulletin has been the official student newspaper of the University of New Haven.
Assistant Editor Samantha Reposa
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Sports Editor Christopher DiGeronimo
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Student Life Editor Karina Krul
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Multimedia Editor Kayra Clouden
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Associate Editor for Graphic Design Jordan Campbell * The Charger Bulletin staff strives for excellence and accuracy in writ- 2nd Place - ASPA Annual Contest/Review for Scholastic ing and reporting. We recognize that mistakes may occur and encourYearbooks, Magazines and Newspapers, 2017 Finalist - Pinnacle Award for Mobile App of the Year, age readers to notify the Bulletin if they feel a correction is necessary. 2017 Please email the Editor-in-Chief at chargerbulletin@newhaven.edu.
The Charger Bulletin
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September 5, 2017
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NEWS
Page 3
University, Community Aim to Unite at WestFest 2017
Bulletin Briefs O
BY CHAZZ MAIR CONTRIBUTING WRITER
News
Irish Scholar working at University pg. 6
Opinion A message from USGA President Nicolette pg. 8
A&E Green Day perform in Hartford pg. 14
Sports
Charger Football wins first game pg. 17
Student Life Inside the mind of a psychic pg. 21
bulk of the businesses present at the event, having been added to the commission’s roster after studying abroad
n September 2, the
West Haven community and
with Professor Haynes. Booths representing local
the University of New Haven
businesses and organiza-
came together for the third
tions from the city and the
annual WestFest. Kicked off
University were set up across
by residents and students
the West Haven Green. New
throwing packets of powdered Haven Tea was about twenty feet from the Marine Biolpaint at each other to the sound of their own laughter,
ogy club and visitors for the
the two communities looked
events could visit each table
at what the other had to offer.
to learn about them. The
Connor Vargo, chair of the
Society of Women Engineers
University’s Mayor’s Advisory
brought virtual reality kits to
Commission, said that the
entertain attendees and the
event was an idea put forth
West Haven Library put its
by Mayor Edward O’Brien
educational and recreational
and the University of New
programs on display. Music
Haven’s Assistant Professor
was provided by WNHU 88.7
and Coordinator of Political
FM and radio personality
Science, Chris Haynes.
Sonja Denyse was the master
Amanda Arango/The Charger Bulletin
(Above) Sigma Chi got pied in the face for the Huntsman Cancer Institute (Below) Participants sign up for events like the pieeating contest and tug-of-war
Amanda Arango/The Charger Bulletin
“West Haven was West Hav- of ceremonies. The event wasn’t just a walk en and the University was the University,” Mayor O’Brien
through the various organiza-
said at the event.
tions of the school and town;
The Mayor’s Advisory
entertainment was provided
Commission lets students
to keep people around. Local
work with local government
names like Ian Biggs provided
to get involved and unite the
a short break from the radio
West Haven and University
station’s playlist and the Top
communities. Jaimy Rippe
Hat Dance Academy’s young
handled the gathering of a
Read more on pg. 4...
Amanda Arango/The Charger Bulletin
Mayor Ed O’Brien of West Haven speaks to the crowd.
September 5, 2017
www.ChargerBulletin.com
Page 4
NEWS
University VP Eyes Third Term on City Council BY GLENN ROHRBACKER
EDITOR IN CHIEF
U
against the mayor’s proposed
people to realize that. Still,
budget (which passed by
he knows how important it
default) because he thought
continues to be.
employees had a “bare-bones” niversity of New
Haven’s Associate Vice
President of Public Safety &
ald Quagliani is running for a
third term on the West Haven
City Council this fall. “Public service has been in
my blood all my life,” he said
in an interview. Quagliani was elected to the
council in 2015 after a sitting
member resigned. He then
won his seat again that fall
and is about to finish his two-
year term. Quagliani is running on
the Democratic ticket for the
at-large seat on the council.
At-large councilmen repre-
sent and are elected by the
whole city. He sees this role as
“bridging together multidis-
trict issues.” Having a position at the
University allows Quagliani to
better address issues between
the school and the rest of the
city, he says. He also says that
he abstains when there is Uni-
versity business on the coun-
cil’s agenda to avoid conflicts
of interest. “I think I bring a perspective
of the University community
contract and there were new
to the citizens of this com-
positions created that would
munity is public safety and
have been nice, but what he
quality of life,” he said.
says are not necessary.
Administrative Services Ron-
The mayor appears on the
Being a former police
back of Quagliani’s campaign
officer and chief in West
flyer, a situation of which he
Haven, Quagliani points out
recognizes the irony. But he
that another of his priorities
says the mayor knows that his
is public safety. One of his
Democratic colleagues aren’t
goals that he says has come
going to be “yes-men.”
a long way is matching the
Photo via Friends of Ron Quagliani
“What I know is important
Quagliani will be running
Quagliani will run to represent all of West Haven perception and reality of West in the Democratic primary on on the Democratic ticket. Haven’s safety. Crime has Sept. 12, the winner of which to the council,” he said. A mission the councilman
complex called “The Haven.” The councilman believes
plans to continue pursuing
that The Haven will be “a
is to mend the gap between
destination.” He said that the
students and residents in
project will increase the tax
West Haven. He recognizes
base for the city due to the
the common differences in
added businesses and will
lifestyle between the two
provide tax relief for resi-
groups, but hopes that there
dents.
can be mutual respect and
Once those projects are
been steadily decreasing since will move on to the general 2011, and Quagliani wants
WestFest Brings the Community Together Continued from pg. 3 dancers showed the community a routine that took clas-
understanding on both sides.
done, Quagliani says the next
sical tunes and mixed them
One of Quagliani’s priori-
step would be to revitalize the
with modern hits.
ties is economic development
downtown area. He thinks
throughout the city. He was
the area should get a similar
the start of the University’s
recently involved in the vote
treatment as Allingtown and
fall semester, is seen as a
to approve the construction
the Haven.
welcome to students who are
site for the next phase of the
“We need a developer to
Allingtown development
take a chance on the [down-
across from the newly opened
town] center,” he said.
Atwood. He is also a sup-
Quagliani stressed the
porter of the plan to renovate
importance of balancing the
a large part of West Haven
city’s budget, which has run a
near the coast for a new outlet deficit for decades. He voted
election in November.
The event itself, placed at
new to the West Haven area. Taking place at the end of the school’s “Welcome Week” is many Freshmen’s first introduction to what’s available to them once they step off of
school grounds. “Great beaches, great food and great people,” Vargo said about the West Haven area, while Rippe was quick to praise the diversity of the community and how willing the city is to reach out to refugees. Shared among everyone was a unifying identity and goal of having fun. “Out of all of the events the city puts on, WestFest is the most fun.” Sonja Denyse said.
September 5, 2017
www.ChargerBulletin.com
Head of ROTC Dies at 52 BY GLENN ROHRBACKER
EDITOR IN CHIEF
M
University to recruit students and with the athletic department to help them set up partnerships with the Connecticut National Guard, U.S.
ajor (Ret) Glenn
Army, and ROTC. He raised
Page 5
NEWS
Student Start-Up Aims for Silicon Valley cessful product.
BY GLENN ROHRBACKER
EDITOR IN CHIEF
S
“If we could implement this
cause risk is lower, there are
software with the privacy
less obligations, and it’s easier
options that people want, but
to work on the business.”
that the internet isn’t giving ome students head to
young students,” he said, “be-
Although no chief financial
them, we could take over this
officer has been named, the
market,” he said.
executives share the duties
A. Colby, Sr., who headed the
and managed more than
Army ROTC program at the
$2.75 million in scholarship
University of New Haven,
and financial aid money each
but one group University
died on Aug. 24 at the age of
year, which contributed to the
of New Haven students are
52 after a battle with cancer.
education and civilian careers
was to be fully funded in three thing in-house. According
Colby was a strong advo-
of students.
meeting with venture capital-
weeks, and they achieved that
to Pitruzzello, the company
ists and investors instead.
goal in 10 days this summer.
doesn’t outsource their opera-
Their next goal is to be fully
tions, which allows them to
funded by January 2018.
save money.
cate for the program, which
Colby is survived by his
provides training and scholar- wife, Ailyn and son, Glen Jr. Friends and family were able ships to students interested
the café in between classes,
In nine months, Nathan Pitruzzello, a University
He said that SoluTech’s goal
and purposefully do every-
in entering the military as an
to post comments on Colby’s
senior, has reached a level of
officer after graduation.
obituary, with one saying:
investments and prospects
preliminary investment, and
up does a lot of reading, and
from investors that most
while they signed an agree-
Mia Sumra, chief operating
start-ups don’t see for two or
ment not to disclose the
officer carries around her
three years.
amount, Pitruzzello said the
“How to be a CFO” book with
investment sets them up for
her. Before managing his
Instrumental in training
“Dear Ailyn, Glenn and fam-
other ROTC recruiters around ily, Deepest heartfelt sympathe country, Colby headed
They recently received a
The team behind the start-
the Nathan Hale Battalion of
thies are sent your way with
ROTC, which was based both
the loss of Glenn. He truly is a
at UCONN and the University
special man and we are all so
officer of SoluTech, was sit-
financial stability. The com-
start-up, Pitruzzello started
of New Haven. He also grew
blessed to have him as a part
ting in class one day trying to
of our lives. I still recall the
pany is the first fully-funded
developing his skills by orga-
that battalion to be the second largest in the Northeast
first time I met Glenn at lodge
share files between devices.
app out of New Haven via a
nizing online gaming com-
(second only to Penn State)
and we connected immedi-
He found that services such
crowdfunding method (Kick-
munities and leading them on
and to having more than 250
ately and shared our military
as Dropbox, iCloud, AirDrop,
starter). The staff of SoluTech
certain tasks, which he said
cadets enrolled.
experiences. From the picnics
or plain email were restrictive
is based in New Haven, and
was eye-opening experience.
in the size and type of files
about 90 percent of staffers
SlideDrive is currently the
that could be shared. Slide
are University students.
Colby helped the University of and the lobster, to working New Haven establish in 2008 with Glenn in the kitchen and what is now a popular and
our degree team at Lodge to
flourishing ROTC program.
having the honor of escorting
Pitruzzello, chief executive
Drive, the first project from
SoluTech, solved that probHe also extended the program Glenn to the East while sitting lem by allowing large files to Southern Connecticut State with Glenn Jr and he placing to transfer between devices, University, Eastern Connecti- the top hat on his dad. I took
Pitruzzello says that con-
first round of testing and will soon be available to the
trary to what some may think, public. The team says that investors actually prefer col-
it will rival other competi-
lege students to more experi-
tors, while they are looking
cut State University, Central
the picture of that. Heaven
while protecting the data with enced businesspeople because at services such as AirDrop
Connecticut State University,
has certainly gained a bright
security features not found in
of their eagerness to work and and Dropbox to see what they
and Yale University.
star and all of us who know
other programs.
their relative lack of commit-
can do better. SlideDrive will
ments.
also be inter-device capable,
Over the years, Colby
and love Glenn still have
worked closely with the ad-
him with us and he is only a
missions department at the
thought away.”
Pitruzzello said he knew right away that he had a suc-
“They prefer to mentor
Read more on pg. 6...
September 5, 2017
www.ChargerBulletin.com
Page 6
NEWS
Students Get University Hosts Irish Investments for Fulbright Scholar to Research Cyber Forensics App Start-Up BY GLENN ROHRBACKER
EDITOR IN CHIEF
T
he University of New
two have collaborated for ap-
which could sometimes take
proximately a year and Lillis
years to complete.
says he expects their partner-
“The amount of digital
ship to continue when he
evidence is only getting big-
returns home.
ger,” he said. He added that
“Hosting a Fulbright scholar sometimes it could take so
Haven is hosting Dr. David
as motivated and talented as
long to develop evidence that
Lillis, an Irish Fulbright
Dr. Lillis is a great opportu-
cases are dropped due to the
Scholar studying two differ-
nity for the University, our
expiration of the statute of
ent elements of cyber security
students, and our ever-grow-
limitations.
and forensics.
ing worldwide network of
Lillis is an assistant profes-
Lillis is also looking into
researchers,” said Breitinger.
machine learning and arti-
sor at University College in
Lillis said he enjoys being
ficial intelligence and how
Dublin, Ireland, where he
here with his team because he
those technological advance-
teaches software engineering.
is able to make connections
ments relate to forensics.
He also spends four months
and get to know the people he
out of the year teaching in
works with, saying, “I think
gram is run by the U.S. De-
China for a dual program be-
being here will help us both.”
partment of State, specifically
tween his university and one
Cyber security is one of the
the Council for International
in China.
The Fulbright Scholar Pro-
most prevalent issues in the
Exchange of Scholars. It is
Lillis is relatively new to the
United States, and Lillis says
an international exchange
cyber forensics field, but says
that it isn’t as high-profile in
program that gives research
that it fascinates him and he
Ireland as it is here. But he
grants for scholars to com-
believes in different ways to
sees many similarities in his
plete short-term, non-com-
learn more about the field.
research, specifically how law
mercial projects and research
enforcement uses forensics
in the U.S.
“I felt there was a contribution I could make,” he said about working on this re-
and data.
Lillis said he wanted to visit
One project Lillis is working
the University of New Haven
on is the approximate match-
because “they’re ahead of the
ing of forensic evidence. This
curve in terms of anticipating
is a highly manual process,
where the field needs to go.
Frank Breitinger, who is the
but Lillis’s project aims to ad-
They’ve taken a leadership
co-director of the University’s
vance the method of finding
role in the cyber forensics
and sorting through evidence,
community.”
search project. Lillis has been working with U. New Haven professor
cyber forensics group. The
Photo via SoluTech
SlideDrive comparison to other file sharing services Continued from pg. 6 like AirDrop, but will not be restricted to Apple or Android devices. “Everything works at just the slide of a finger,” said Joey Nicklas, a junior at the University and the chief creative officer for the company. The functions of the code that goes into it and the sliding gesture referred to in its namesake are currently patent pending. The next step, according to the three executives, is to perfect their product. They recently met with the city of New Haven economic development team to discuss grant
options. They plan to begin in the New Haven area, but are open to offers from Silicon Valley investors. Pitruzzello is optimistic and passionate about his product and company. He says that one of their goals is to provide “privacy in a public world.” With decreasing options for large-file converting and movement and increasing risks to cyber security and reliance on personal technology, Pitruzello thinks that Slide Drive is the perfect solution. “With SlideDrive, you can make your phone your flash drive,” he said, “and you never forget your phone.”