With expansion in the works of its University Recreation (UREC) facility at James Madison University (JMU) located in Harrisonburg Virginia; the issue on how to keep time synchronized throughout the facility had to be planned, and it had to be planned correctly.
"In such a large facility, it's crucial that all classes start and end on time, and that even the students in the locker rooms know exactly how much time they have to get to class," said Bob Golson, associate director of facilities and operations at the UREC. "If people are constantly too late or too early, it impacts the experience and enjoyment of the facility."This where the expertise from the associates at American Time came in.
JMU is a NCAA Division 1 university, it's home to over 20,000 undergraduate and graduate students a year. The importance of having a recreational facility that promotes healthy lifestyles for everyone on campus is a must. That's why JMU decided to expand their facility an extra 138,000 square feet, bringing the total footage to approximately 278,000.
After searching for clock technology and system providers online, JMU met with American Time. American Time recommended a SiteSync IQ Wireless System and a 40-watt master clock with a signal that could reach any clock within the facility. JMU also purchased 48 wireless digital clocks that were recognized and synced by the master controller upon installation. With this wireless system, JMU avoided the need of running a wired system throughout the new parts of the UREC and saved thousands of dollars.
In the event of a power outage, the digital clocks will immediately sync with the master clock when the power returns, thereby avoiding the need to correct any of the clocks by hand.
"American Time understood what we needed to do to get everything synchronized through the original and new parts of the UREC," explained Golson. "No other vendor offered a solution that met our needs like American Time."
After installation of the new clock systems from American Time were in place, they followed up with Golson, "The system and clocks are working just as American Time said they would."
The old synchronized time system was removed and the new SiteSync IQ Wireless System keeps all clocks on the same time, along with updating them automatically for daylight saving time changes. The UREC facility now has classes that start and end at precise times, and students can be certain of when they should arrive to class.
"Everything is covered," said Golson. "The master clock sends a time signal to all of the other clocks, from the fourth floor all the way to the front entrance."
Golson went on to note the ease of working with the team at American Time. "Everyone has been great," he said. "From the headquarters staff who got me quotes, to our sales contact, everyone has been helpful and responsive."