Rain pours problems on campus

Weather has caused traffic accidents, student absences and the death of 72 pigs

By Sylas Wright

Winter weather arrived in central California this week with potency and punctuality, boosting student absences as well as accidents around campus.

“Today I did have several students not show up,” L-Jay Fine, a recreation administration and leisure studies professor, said Tuesday. “Those who did show up, it seemed like their attitudes were a little soggy. So I do think the weather affects people’s psyche.”

Fine said the rain also limits his class’ activities, which are often outdoors.

Geography professor Michael Moratto said he always notices a difference in attendance on stormy days, as well.

“We have such a large campus,” Moratto said. “If students have to walk very far, some of them just get discouraged.”

Drama and puppetry professor Kim Morin said she notices a radical drop in student promptness.

“[The students] were all late today,” Morin said. “Several said they overslept.”

Oversleeping can be prevented, though. Random storm-caused accidents cannot.

One such accident, said David Moll, Fresno State’s director of public safety, occurred at about 10 a.m.

Tuesday in lot D, behind the University Center, when a large tree limb fell on a red SL 500 Mercedes.

The result: scratched paint and a dented hood, but no injuries.

In front of the Coffeehouse & Pub, a student slipped and fell on the rain-soaked walkway, Moll said.

The student, whose name was not released, was taken by ambulance to Saint Agnes Medical Center.

“The typical issues,” Moll said about Tuesday’s rainy misfortunes, which most often are limited to slips and falls, falling tree limbs and water damage to buildings.

Traffic accidents occur, as well, Moll said, and there are always fender benders, but it’s difficult to determine if they are weather-related.

A power outage Sunday from at about 3 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. resulted in a less-common issue: the death of 72 pigs at the campus farm.

Carl Pherson, director of agricultural operations, said the outage cut power to the swine unit’s ventilation system at the university farm on Barstow Avenue. Three pigs died from exposure, Pherson said, and 69 died from hypothermia. The loss, Pherson said, is estimated to be about $3,000.

Despite the problems it causes, rain is something Fresno is in dire need of. The last bit of precipitation to touch ground was in May, when Fresno received just .07 inches.

KMPH weatherman Kopi Sotiropulos predicts another dry winter—after two consecutive ones—because of a weak El Niño.

“This one is not a strong El Niño,” Sotiropulos said, “so it’s not real easy to forecast. But I predict we’ll be a little below normal. Early storms are not prognosticators of whether it’s going to be a wet winter or not.

“This is the first major storm of the season. We can sure use it.”