Beginning immediately, Fresno State students with green parking passes will be able to park in yellow faculty/staff lots after 6 p.m. without getting ticketed.

Parking in green lots for evening classes had drawn many student complaints about safety. Student parking lots are located on the perimeter of campus. Students have to walk a long way to get to classes, and they’re often walking alone in the dark to get back to their cars.

Fresno State Police Department Lt. Jennifer Curwick said, “The signs in the yellow lots will be changed. The process is already underway, but will take a while to complete. In the meantime, informational slips were inserted with every new student parking permit to advise students of the new time.”

Yellow faculty/staff parking lots are mostly located directly outside of university buildings. With the daylight savings time change approaching, this new parking policy might increase safety on campus when the sun goes down, she said.

“When it starts getting dark earlier, it may increase a student’s sense of security being able to park closer to their classes,” Curwick said. “Students taking night classes will be able to park in yellow lots earlier, which, depending on where their classes are in relation to the parking lots, may allow them to get to and from their vehicles in a shorter amount of time during darkness.”

Students were able to park in yellow lots after 7 p.m. However, this rule was not advertised on signs and did not do much good for students who had class before 7 p.m. Curwick said many studies and surveys resulted in the time change.

“I was not part of the decision-making process. However, it was made after traffic studies and consultation with students, faculty, staff and labor union agreements,” Curwick said.

Fresno State students Maria Salvador and Michael Wiebe drive to school every day for class and struggle to find parking. Wiebe said this change won’t benefit him because of his class schedule.

“Since I have a class from 5 to 5:50 p.m. and another class from 6 to 7:50 p.m., I won’t have time to move my car,” Wiebe said. “I’m still walking far in the dark, regardless of the new change.”

For students like Weibe, Curwick said Fresno State provides other safety features, such as security escorts.

“The police department offers safety escorts as well, and students are encouraged to utilize that particular resource,” Curwick said.

Salvador is pleased with the change.

“Parking and campus safety are my biggest complaints,” Salvador said. “It seems like Fresno State is finally hearing the students’ concerns.”