Matt Weir / The Collegian
The old saying “spring forward, fall back” is a reminder of how Daylight Saving Time changes our clocks twice a year. When Daylight Saving Time begins in the spring, clocks are turned an hour forward, shifting an hour of sunlight from morning to evening.
The sun will be setting an hour earlier now that Standard Time has resumed and many Fresno State students have night classes. Therefore, there are several important safety tips to remember.
According to Amy Armstrong, public information officer of the Campus Police Department at Fresno State, there are 19 sworn (certified) and 18 non-sworn officers on patrol who work full time with 25 student assistants. Some police officers are in patrol cars while parking officers and safety escorts are in the golf carts.
“We have quite a few people working, but we still want students to be proactive and keep an eye on what’s going on around them, letting us know if they see something dangerous or suspicious that we haven’t seen and report it to us,” Armstrong said.
Business administration major Georgina Perez has a class Wednesday nights this semester and said she’s a bit concerned about campus safety once the clock shifts back an hour.
“I do worry about my safety at night because there are some areas on campus with not enough light,” Perez said. “I think there should be more lighting on the sidewalk by the Kremen Education building, and also between the Music and Joyal Administration buildings.”
Armstrong said if students ever feel unsafe walking to or from class on campus, they can call the Campus Police Department for a safety escort, available 24 hours a day. More than 30 emergency phones are located near almost every building and parking lot and are checked once every month to make sure they are working properly.
Mass communication and journalism major Maria Iñiguez takes night classes as well, and she is afraid that the campus may not be safe.
“I worry about my safety at night because it’s harder to see and be able to recognize people,” Iñiguez said. “There are less people around at that time so it’s scary to think you’re alone in case of an emergency.”
Armstrong hopes that students who have night classes will be aware of anything unsafe or suspicious.
“When you walk from the parking lot to your classroom, you will know if something doesn’t seem right because you walk that path everyday,” Armstrong said. “If you see something out of the ordinary, we want you to tell us and we’ll go check it out.”
Students can see the safe light paths printed on the campus map. She advises students to let others know of their location if they’re alone, to stay in well lit areas after dark, and to report any areas where the lights are off to the Campus Police Department at 278-8400.