Daylight Savings Time (2007): What is the impact?
(Updated 3-12-2007)
What happened?
The Energy Policy Act passed by Congress in 2005 has changed the beginning and end of Daylight Saving Time (DST), effective this year (2007). The new Daylight Savings Time will start on the second Sunday of March (March 11th,) instead of the first Sunday in April and end on the first Sunday in November (November 4th) instead of the last Sunday of October.
Why is this occurring?
Most applications that use date and time to complete their tasks rely on the computer's operating system to determine the correct time. Because this DST change is new, your computer does not know how to handle the time change.
How will this affect me?
This change will affect UC Merced users in a number of venues, including calendaring applications, administrative applications, handheld devices, time-based programs, and applications executing purchases and sales at the incorrect times. On Friday (2-16-07), UC Merced Information Technology installed a patch for the UC Merced Calendar Server that incorporated support for the DST changes. Because of this patch, all of your UC Merced Calendar appointments between March 11 and April 1, 2007, and again between October 28 and November 4, 2007 are now off by one hour.
What is being done?
Microsoft, Macintosh and many other software vendors have created patches to address the new time zone issues. UC Merced Information Technology is working diligently to make this new Daylight Savings Time transition as simple as possible for the user. IT has provided guidance on needed patches as well as a tool to run on Windows 2000 and XP that will check for and apply the patch if necessary.
What should I do?
IT strongly recommends that users update their individual computer operating system and calendar by following the instructions below. Not performing these updates may impact other users as well. IT has created a tool that will perform the necessary patches for your Microsoft Windows operating system (Windows 2000, Windows XP service pack 2, and Windows 2003.) Please make note that after the computer operating system patches have been applied by running the tool, you will have to manually update your calendar between March 11th through April 1st and October 28th through November 4th. Unfortunately, an automated fix is not available. Please click on your operating system and/or concern below for further instructions.
Updating Other Operating Systems
About Other UC Merced Services
Windows Mobile Smart Phones, Pocket PCs and Other PDA Devices
F.A.Q
If you still have questions about the Daylight Savings Time Change, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page by clicking here.
Looking for help?
We offer a number of tutorials and FAQs available in the Guides & FAQs section.
If you have any questions, problems, or comments, please contact the IT Help Desk via email at helpdesk@ucmerced.edu, via phone at 209.228.HELP (4357), or visit them in the Classroom and Office Building room 132A.