The Fishback Center for Early Childhood Education will now have an increase in restricted access to ensure the safety of the children. Located on the West side of Pugsley Hall, the Fishback Center has education programs for toddlers, preschool, kindergarten and an “Out of School Time Program.”

“For about 10 years we’ve wanted to increase the limited access and restricted access for those who were authorized to be in the space out of protection for our children, their families, students and faculty,” Anne Karabon, Wendell and Marlys Thompson Director of the School of Education, Counseling, and Human Development/Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education said.

Karabon said some students park on campus near the Alumni Center Building and Pugsley Hall and use the Fishback Center as a hallway, especially during the winter months, increasing the difficulty to keep track of who is in the building.

Pugsley Hall remains accessible to students and staff through the North entrance, across from the Sylvan Green. However, the Fishback Center will now require key card access. Students attending class in Pugsley Hall room 117 will have to enter by scanning their student ID.

There were no prior situations concerning safety that initiated this decision, Karabon said.

“(We) just really wanted to make sure that we’re cohesive with practices in our communities, for families too,” Karabon said.

This is Karabon’s fourth year working for SDSU. She said Dr. Kay Cutler, former director of the School of Education, was the one “leading the charge” for the Fishback Center’s key card access renovations. Karabon said it’s important now, more than ever, to make sure the children are safe.

“It’s just a matter of trying to make sure that we know who is in the building at all times, and then also for fire safety, if there was an emergency (and) we had to evacuate, now we know who’s in the space and who isn’t,” Karabon said.

The process to restrict access began in spring 2025. According to Karabon, the biggest concern was ensuring the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access was still adhered to.

“Our elevators are accessible through the back door and everything else is 100 percent accessible,” Karabon said.

Karabon asks students to “help us in this transition and change.”

“We know that it’s cold and that people like to use this space to move between buildings, but in honor of our children and to respect our families, we just ask everyone to help support us in this transition,” she said.