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Board of Regents Approves Naming of CELT in Honor of Dr. Carol A. Hawkes

Dear WestConn Community,

I am pleased to share an important and meaningful update for our university.

At its February 26 meeting, the Board of Regents formally approved the naming of our Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching in honor of Dr. Carol A. Hawkes. Going forward, CELT will be known as the Dr. Carol A. Hawkes Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching.

Dr. Hawkes’s legacy at WestConn is extraordinary. Over 24 years of service, she helped shape the academic and artistic life of this institution as a faculty member and academic leader, as Dean of Arts and Sciences, as Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, and as the founding dean of what became our School of Visual and Performing Arts. Her influence is still felt across this university.

Since learning about her generous gift to WestConn, I’ve spoken with many who knew or worked with her, including former Presidents James Schmotter and James Roach, who shared stories of her high standards, dedication, intellect, and influential leadership. She was a trailblazer for women in higher education and prioritized faculty advancement. These conversations have strengthened my gratitude and sense of duty.

Dr. Hawkes’s bequest is particularly significant as it represents a rare unrestricted gift, demonstrating considerable trust in WestConn and confidence in our future. Her total contribution of $3.3 million, the second largest in the university’s history, provides an opportunity to honor her legacy by supporting academic excellence, fostering innovation, and advancing initiatives that benefit students and the individuals who contribute to the university’s success.

The approved framework launches a new Hawkes Fellows Program for faculty and staff and introduces the Hawkes Catalyst Grants, both of which I will directly support. The newly established Hawkes Center will receive support, and we have set aside an undesignated $1.5 million as a strategic investment reserve for future decisions. This amount will be thoughtfully evaluated over time to ensure it is used in ways that best serve our community. Additionally, the center will offer grants dedicated to advancing our commitment to incorporate applied learning opportunities for every student.

I want to emphasize that this is only the beginning. Shared stewardship with community input will continue to be sought as these opportunities take shape, including future decisions about the long-term strategic use of the remaining investment. There is no timeline at this point for that broader allocation, and I believe that is appropriate as we continue to shape priorities together.

More details about how to apply for available funds and the fellows’ program will be shared soon. In addition, Provost Hegedus will soon announce a call for applications for the next Director of the Hawkes Center.

I am grateful to everyone who has helped us reach this moment, and to all who will help shape what comes next. It is a privilege to honor Dr. Hawkes in this way, and I hope this beginning reflects both her love for WestConn and our commitment to use her gift with care, purpose, and imagination.

With gratitude,
Jesse M. Bernal, Ph.D.
President

Update on WestConn Facilities & Planning Leadership

Dear WestConn Faculty and Staff,

In the spirit of how I try to communicate with you – clearly, directly, and with appreciation for the people doing the work – I want to share an update regarding leadership in our facilities areas as we continue finalizing decisions about organizational structure and campus leadership.

Effective March 11, Deanna Cibery-Schaab, Interim Associate Vice President for Facilities Management & Planning, will transition back to her permanent role as Director of Access Control & One-Card Services in the WESTCONNect Office. I’m grateful for Deanna’s steady and extraordinary leadership during this interim period. She has, time after time, stepped in when the university needed her most, and she has advanced important work with professionalism, care and a deep commitment to our students and colleagues. The successes she has achieved during her time in this role make WestConn better in many ways. Please join me in thanking Deanna for her service.

In the coming months, we will begin a national search for a new leader of facilities management and planning. In the meantime, to ensure continuity and clear decision-making, I have asked, and want to thank, the following leaders to cover key responsibilities typically handled by this role:

  • Bob Berry, Chief of Police & Director of Public Safety — Management-level supervision of the WESTCONNect Office
  • Dan Casinelli, Director of Facilities Planning & Engineering — Capital planning, the Facilities Master Plan, and coordination of projects with the System Office
  • Fred Cratty, Chief Human Resources Officer — Management-level supervision of Facilities Operations staff (Custodial, HVAC, Trades, Grounds), as well as space allocation

If you need assistance and are unsure who to contact, please reach out to Fred Cratty, and he will help route your request to the appropriate person.

Thank you for your patience and partnership as we strengthen our operations and ensure we have the right leadership structure in place to support the work of teaching, learning, and student success.

Sincerely,

Jesse M. Bernal, Ph.D.
President

Updated Information: Welcome. Weave. Widen. Wolves Day of Giving – February 26

Dear WestConn Community,

Our annual Wolves Day of Giving is almost here.

Beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, February 26, 2026, the entire WestConn community will come together for 24 hours to invest in the people, programs, and possibilities that define our university.

This is more than a fundraising day. It is a moment to welcome new opportunities, weave our strengths together, and widen our collective impact across campus and throughout the region we serve.

Thank you to everyone for your efforts and hard work to prepare for this important day. Please share your favorite areas with your contacts, and friends and be sure to join us at the events throughout the day.  Your participation creates even more opportunities to win funds for your favorite area of support.

You can follow the day’s progress, check out the leaderboards and explore giving opportunities here:

👉 Wolves Day of Giving

There are many ways to support WestConn. From student scholarships and academic departments to athletics, student life, faculty innovation, and community partnerships, every gift strengthens something meaningful. The site highlights a range of funds and initiatives so you can direct your support where it matters most to you.

This year, I’m excited to participate in Wolves Day of Giving with a new effort I’ve launched—the WestConn10 Community Support Fund—starting with my own personal contribution to help build early momentum. I’ll be sharing this page, along with the main Wolves Day of Giving link, with my contacts.

The WestConn10 Fund provides immediate, flexible resources for:

  • Student scholarships
  • Faculty and Staff innovation grants
  • Community sponsorships that extend WestConn’s regional impact

It is not an endowment — every dollar goes directly to current priorities and urgent needs. When we give together, our impact multiplies.

If WestConn has shaped you, supported you, or inspired you, I invite you to help shape what comes next.

Share the area of your choice with your networks: friends, family, alumni, colleagues and ask them to bookmark the page. Personal outreach expands our reach and strengthens our momentum.

WestConn continues to rise because of each of you. Our students are counting on us. Our region is watching. And our future is ours to build, together.

Let’s make this our strongest Wolves Day of Giving yet.

With gratitude,

Jesse M. Bernal, Ph.D.
President

Spring 2026 Update & Request for Feedback

Dear WestConn Students, Faculty, and Staff,

Thank you to everyone who joined us Tuesday afternoon for our Spring Semester Kickoff Meeting. For those who couldn’t attend, and for all who want to revisit the information, below is a brief recap of what I shared, along with links to more details on each topic.

Over the holidays, my 85-year-old grandmother, who spent much of her life as a migrant farm worker and later as a hospital custodian, asked me, “Mijo, what is it that you do?” The clearest answer I could give is also what I have come to define as our shared purpose: We Welcome people as they are, Weave relationships that help them belong and succeed, and Widen opportunity so every learner can thrive.

That purpose is guiding our work this semester: moving from stability to resilience, strengthening our foundations, and building what is Distinctively WestConn: care that shows up in high standards, real support, and education that prepares students for careers and lives that matter.

Key updates (with links to more information)
Western Rising Focused Strategy (2026–2028): our five commitments and priorities. Read more and provide feedback by February 9 at https://www.wcsu.edu/western-rising/focusedstrategy/.
Mid-Year Budget Update: stewardship, projections, and actions underway. Read more at www.wcsu.edu/western-rising/s26budget.
Administrative (Re)Structure Update: clarity, alignment, and “Wolves First” efficiencies. Read more at www.wcsu.edu/western-rising/s26restructure.

Thank you for your work, your care, and your continued commitment to WestConn. Let’s keep building, together. Welcome. Weave. Widen.

Go Wolves!
Jesse M. Bernal, Ph.D.
President

Dr. King’s Legacy and Our Commitment to Thrive

Dear WestConn Community,

Today, we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a leader who challenged our nation to match our values with our actions, and to treat every person with dignity.

At WestConn, that call connects directly to one of our clearest commitments, currently under review by the campus, in Western Rising Focused Strategy: Creating a Campus Where Every Person Thrives. For Dr. King, a community isn’t measured by what it says, but by how it shows up for people, especially those who have been pushed to the margins.

As Connecticut’s largest 4-year Hispanic-Serving Institution, we carry both a responsibility and an opportunity: to widen access, strengthen belonging, and make sure every student, and every member of our community, has what they need to learn and grow. Creating a campus where every person thrives means building a culture of care and action. It means listening, removing barriers, and choosing compassion in our daily work with one another.

MLK Day is also a National Day of Service. If you’re able, I hope you’ll honor Dr. King in a simple, meaningful way today: lend a hand, volunteer, mentor, learn, check in on someone, or take time to listen with an open heart. Those small acts matter. They add up. They are how we build the “beloved community” Dr. King called for, one relationship at a time.

Thank you for all you do to make WestConn a place of care, belonging, possibility, and action.

Sincerely,
Jesse

Jesse M. Bernal, Ph.D.
President

Interim Leadership Update: Enrollment & Student Affairs

Dear Colleagues,

I’m writing to share a brief update on interim leadership within Enrollment & Student Affairs as we continue our administrative reorganization.

Why this change: We are clarifying accountability across the student lifecycle, reducing management layers, and creating efficiencies that lower administrative costs so we can direct more resources to our students, our academic mission, and the services that support learning and thriving.

Over the past few days, I have met with division leadership and with the full Enrollment & Student Affairs team to share this update and answer questions.

Interim structure (effective today, Tuesday, January 13)

Enrollment and Student Affairs will operate as two aligned lanes, with leadershipreporting directly to me. While I finalize permanent roles, interim oversight is as follows:

  • Melissa Stephens: Financial Aid, Student Employment, Transfer Student Services, Admissions
  • Julie Perrelli: Dean of Students Office; Judicial Affairs; Housing & Residence Life; Accessibility Services; Center for Student Involvement; Counseling, Health Services, and CHOICES; Recreation, Club Sports & Intramurals; First-Year Experience; Mentoring & Tutoring; Veteran Affairs
  • President’s Office: Marketing & Communications, Public Relations, Academic Advising

For colleagues across the university, your day-to-day points of contact remain the same. Please continue working with the same directors and staff you work with today. This update is intended to clarify escalation and reporting during the transition.

I will share more information about the permanent leadership structure and broader administrative reorganization at the Spring Kick-off meeting on Tuesday, January 20, and via email in the coming weeks.

Sincerely,
Jesse

—

Jesse M. Bernal, Ph.D.
President
Western Connecticut State University

Sad News: Former President John Clark

Dear WestConn Community,

I write with sad news that former WestConn President John Clark passed away last night, Friday, January 2.

I spoke with his brother this evening. John passed peacefully, surrounded by family. I shared, on behalf of all of us, our gratitude for his service to WestConn and our sympathy for the Clark family during this difficult time.

Dr. Clark served as WestConn’s ninth president from 2015 to 2022, a period marked by real change, pressure, and complexity for public higher education. He championed in-state tuition for students from New York and New Jersey, a policy that widened access, grew out-of-state enrollment, and signaled that we mean it when we say we are a regional opportunity engine. From conversations with our colleagues, it became clear that he led us through the most challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic: moving online fast, keeping people safe, and planning our return we care.

Although his brother shared that Dr. Clark had always appreciated higher education and research, having earned three master’s and a doctorate degree, his path to academia was quite unconventional. He spent 18 years on Wall Street as a bond trader, while earning an Ed.D. in Philosophy from Teachers College, Columbia University. He went on to serve in a range of senior leadership roles across the SUNY system, including interim president at multiple campuses and interim chancellor of the system, and held executive roles at the CUNY focused on entrepreneurship and industry partnership.

He was a native of the Bronx, a U.S. Army veteran during the Vietnam War era, and a devote Irish Catholic, identities he spoke about openly and with pride. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn, their two adult daughters, and twin granddaughters.

Like many leaders, Dr. Clark’s time at WestConn will be remembered differently by different people. That is the truth of leadership, and the truth of most institutions with long histories and many chapters. As a university, we are shaped not only by where we are going, but by those who came before us. Today, we honor the role he played in that history, the service he gave to public higher education, and the people who loved him beyond his professional life.

Information about final arrangements will be shared as it becomes available.

Please keep the Clark family in your thoughts and prayers.

Sincerely,
Jesse

Jesse M. Bernal, Ph.D.
President
Western Connecticut State University

❄️ Wishing You a Wonderful WestConn Winter & Holiday Season ❄️

Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students,

With the fall semester over, and winter intersession underway, I want to pause to thank you.

To our faculty and staff: thank you for the steady work that holds WestConn together every day. Your teaching, mentoring, and support for students, along with the care you bring to keeping our campuses running, is deeply valued. I’m proud to be part of this community.

To our students: thank you for your hard work this semester. I have seen your persistence, your energy, and the way you show up for one another and for WestConn.

I also want to also acknowledge that for many, winter intersession is not a full break. Some of you may have only a few days off. Others will continue working straight through, whether in off-campus jobs, in essential roles on campus, or while managing family responsibilities and other obligations. Many will keep teaching, learning, serving, and caring for others during this time. I see that effort, and I’m truly grateful.

I hope you’re able to find moments of rest and connection in the weeks ahead. However you celebrate or spend time this season, I’m wishing you warmth, peace, good food, good company, and time to breathe.

As we close 2025, I keep returning to the rhythm that I have asked to guide us since I arrived over the summer: Welcome, Weave, Widen. Welcome every student and colleague with care and strong support for their growth. Weave our strengths across roles, divisions, and campuses so we lead being Distinctively WestConn. Widen opportunity for our students and our region through meaningful partnerships, new ideas, and a focus on what matters most.

I will soon share a brief update on key progress and priorities from the past six months.

Until then, please take good care of yourselves, travel safely if you are heading out, and know how much I value each of you.

Sam and I (and Wally!) would like to wish you happy holidays and our best wishes for a healthy and hopeful New Year.

With gratitude,
Jesse M. Bernal, Ph.D.
President
Western Connecticut State University

Sandy Hook: Honoring 26 Lives Lost

Dear WestConn Community,

As we approach December 14, we honor the children and educators lost at Sandy Hook in 13 years ago, and the survivors whose lives were forever changed — including some who now walk our campus as members of the WestConn community. The children taken that day would be young adults now, choosing colleges, beginning careers, and some may well have become Wolves. As we approach this day of remembrance, we hold them all with care. 


The children — They adored soccer, Snoopy, dancing, playing the piano, dogs, Legos, singing, drawing, Star Wars, ballet, superheroes, storybooks, helping their parents in the kitchen, leaving notes in lunchboxes, learning to read, and bringing joy through laughter. They were curious, gentle, humorous, fearless, kind, eager to learn, and full of life. Let’s remember each of these wonderful young souls.

Charlotte Bacon, Daniel Barden, Olivia Engel, Josephine Gay, Ana Márquez-Greene, Dylan Hockley, Madeleine F. Hsu, Catherine Hubbard, Chase Kowalski, Jesse Lewis, James Mattioli, Grace McDonnell, Emilie Parker, Jack Pinto, Noah Pozner, Caroline Previdi, Jessica Rekos, Avielle Richman, Benjamin Wheeler, Allison (Allie) Wyatt

The educators — Every one of them displayed remarkable courage. Their final actions were protective, instinctual, and grounded in love. They are heroes who acted in mere seconds, all to safeguard children.

Rachel D’Avino, therapist; Dawn Hochsprung, principal; Anne Marie Murphy, special education teacher; Lauren Rousseau, substitute teacher; Mary Sherlach, school psychologist; Victoria Soto, first-grade teacher


On that day in 2012, I was thousands of miles away — on my morning commute in Oakland — when news of Sandy Hook stopped everyone around me in stunned silence. I didn’t know then how deeply this tragedy shaped the people and communities I would one day call home.

Now, living here, I understand its lasting impact in a different way. Last weekend, Sam and I visited the memorial — walking the quiet circle, reading each name, and feeling the stillness of a community that carries both heartbreak and remarkable strength. That experience deepened what I see every day in this region: the quiet resilience of so many, and the responsibility we hold as a university to create a community grounded in compassion, safety, and care.

That experience deepened what I see every day in this region: the quiet resilience of so many, and the responsibility we hold as a university to create a community grounded in compassion, safety, and care.

Let us honor their memory through our actions — welcoming with compassion, weaving community with care, and widening the circle of support for all who carry this day within them. 

Very sincerely,

Jesse

NECHE Update: Focused Visit Reflections

Dear WestConn Students and Colleagues,

From October 5–7, we welcomed a visiting team from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) for our focused review following a 2024 Notice of Concern. Their visit represented an important moment in our continuing work to strengthen WestConn’s foundations and to demonstrate the steady progress we’ve made together.

The team’s informal closing comments, shared at the conclusion of their visit, reflected genuine confidence in Western’s direction and visible pride in the progress our community has made. While these impressions are preliminary—the formal outcome will be determined by the NECHE Commission following our leadership interview in March 2026—they affirm that our work is on the right path.

Deep Gratitude and Recognition

The reviewers expressed appreciation for the preparation, alignment, and authenticity of our university participants. They noted the honesty, candor, and thoughtfulness in every discussion and written submission, and the evident pride and professionalism with which our community approached this visit.

They also acknowledged the challenges that can accompany change—but encouraged us to stay the course. Progress, they emphasized, must continue, and WestConn’smomentum should stay clear, visible, and measurable in the months ahead.

To everyone who helped prepare materials, participated in interviews, and contributed to our many recent and historical planning efforts—thank you. Your work reflects real care and discipline, and it shows. I especially want to recognize Provost Stephen Hegedus for his steady leadership and partnership during this period of transition. Our shared commitment to academic excellence, student success, and cross-divisional collaboration continues to strengthen WestConn’s momentum and focus. I have great confidence in his leadership and in the direction of Academic Affairs as we move forward together. I’m also deeply grateful to Interim Chancellor John Maduko and Board Chair Marty Guay for their continued support, confidence, and advocacy for WestConn’s success.

Key Themes from the Reviewers

  • Shared Governance & Transparency – Commended for rebuilding trust and strengthening communication. Reviewers encouraged us to continue leading with transparency, optimism, and inclusion as we engage the full campus community.
  • Leadership Stability – The steadiness and alignment of our leadership team, together with strong system-level partnership, were recognized as key strengths to sustain.
  • Financial Planning – The five-year financial model and draft gap-closing framework were described as both realistic and bold. Sustaining progress will require continued transparency, disciplined monitoring, and collective effort across the university.
  • Enrollment & Retention – Recognized for strong momentum and innovation, with encouragement to keep expanding access, partnerships, and philanthropic support. Reviewers commended our new advising model, enhanced career services, and growing workforce development initiatives. Continued focus on retention will be critical to maintaining this trajectory.
  • Staffing & Student Support – Noted as an area where staffing remains uneven across functions. Reviewers encouraged strategic realignment and reinvestment in student-facing, safety, and maintenance roles.
  • Assessment & Effectiveness – Commended for significant progress and encouraged to complete the implementation of an institutional effectiveness framework and share results broadly. Continued investment in a data-informed culture and evidence-based decision-making will strengthen our impact.
  • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – Celebrated for establishing permanent leadership, DEI plan, and advancing our HSI distinction. Reviewers encouraged ongoing integration of equity metrics into all planning. While not required to report on this area, WestConn remains deeply committed to transparency and accountability for continued progress.

Looking Ahead

The reviewers’ parting message was clear: keep going. Our progress is real and recognized, but it must continue—through the March 2026 Commission final decision on our Notice, our 2028 midterm review, and beyond—to ensure WestConn’s long-term strength and sustainability.

Over the months ahead, we will stay focused on measurable action: refining our financial model, aligning resources with priorities, and strengthening systems that support student success and institutional effectiveness in our academic programs and support services. Transparency, shared governance, and community engagement will remain central to that work.

Closing Reflections

The visiting team left with a strong sense of WestConn as an institution on the rise—leading with integrity, care, and purpose. Their confidence reflects your hard work and belief in who we are and what we stand for.

Let’s carry that momentum forward. Every improvement we make strengthens not only our accreditation record but the foundation of a stronger, more resilient university—one that serves, partners, and takes pride in being distinctly WestConn.

As we move ahead, let’s keep building with transparency, care, and courage—confident in the future we’re creating together.

Sincerely,

Bernal Signature

Jesse M. Bernal, Ph.D.
President
Western Connecticut State University