Obama/Biden Rally: Serious Business

So Obama and Biden are coming to my campus on Saturday. YAAAAAYYYY! However, check out all of the restrictions we will be under, and keep in mind our campus isn't big. It's going to be bananas.

The gates to the rally area - Ball Circle - will open at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday. Everyone entering the area will have to pass through metal detectors. No drink or food may be brought into Ball Circle. There will be water available, supplied by the Obama campaign, for those inside Ball Circle.

This is a rain or shine event and will NOT move inside in the case of rain. Umbrellas are not allowed through security so please plan to wear/bring rain gear if the weather forecasts call for inclement weather.

UMW will observe liberal parking on Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. By 10:00 p.m., all security barriers will have been removed and campus restored to ‘normal.’

Special requests or needs must be addressed directly to the Obama campaign through their website: www.barackobama.com. UMW staff is not in the position to offer or arrange for special requests.

1. Lot 3 (Chandler) and Lot 16 (Monroe small lot) will close at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, 9/26 and remain closed until the event ends on Saturday evening at approximately 7:30 p.m.

2. At approximately 5:00 p.m. on Friday, 9/26, College Avenue between Brent and Rowe Streets will be closed for parking. No parking may take place and any vehicle violating the City’s no parking signs will be towed.

3. Chandler Hall will close at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, 9/27, and not be accessible until the event is over. This means no access to offices, classrooms, or labs. All meetings that were scheduled to take place in Chandler Hall on Saturday have been relocated. Kaplan’s GRE/GMAT practice tests will take place in Trinkle Hall.

4. College Avenue will be closed to vehicular and foot traffic, between Brent and Rowe Streets, on Saturday from 1:00 p.m. until the end of the event.

5. Access to Double Drive off College Avenue from William Street WILL be possible throughout the day. Exit from Double Drive will be straight, along Brent Street, and then left or right on Stafford Ave to access William Street or Route 1.

6. Campus walk proper, running from George Washington Hall to Goolrick will remain open to foot traffic throughout the entire day/evening with the following exception: the portions of campus sidewalks running along Ball Circle at Virginia Hall, along Chandler Hall from Ball Circle toward Seacobeck, and along Virginia Hall from Palmieri Plaza toward Ball Circle will be closed from 1:00 p.m. until the end of the event. Please see the following schematic.

7. From 1:00 p.m until the end of the event:
- Virginia Hall will be accessed/exited from the Palmieri end of the building
- Ball Hall will be accessed/exited from the ‘rear’ door toward the Westmoreland lawn area
- Madison Hall will be accessed/exited from the ‘end’ door emptying onto Campus Walk

8. All windows facing Ball Circle must be closed and blinds/shades drawn by 2:00 p.m.

9. From 5:00 p.m. until the end of the event on Saturday evening, there will be no access into or out of Custis Hall unless an emergency situation exists and then will be done so under Police escort.

Basically, the entire midsection of campus is blocked off. I'm glad I don't live in Virginia anymore. It also sucks for the people in Custis Hall, which is a dorm. That must be where the dudes are staying before the rally.

But I shall bring the tale and related pictures after it happens on Saturday. Unfortunately it's supposed to rain so it'll be gross, but I'm going regardless.

EDIT: I just realized none of this makes sense to people not at Mary Wash. So here's a map, with my edits.