Obama event canceled
Posted noon, Oct. 30, 2012 | The White House issued the following statement today:
"The President will remain in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday to monitor the response to Hurricane Sandy and ensure that all available federal resources continue to be provided to support ongoing state and local recovery efforts. As a result, the President will not participate in the campaign events that had been scheduled in Ohio tomorrow."
Further details will be posted to the UA home page as we get them.
Classes will be held as normal on Wednesday, Oct. 31, when President Obama is scheduled to speak in Rhodes Arena.
While most campus activities will proceed as normal, some accommodations are necessary:
Parking for students, faculty and staff
Arrive early! Parking will be tighter than usual, so please plan additional time for it on Wednesday. This is especially true on the east side of campus.
Lots 2, 4, 8, 13 and 15 (in blue on this map) will close at 11 p.m. on Tuesday, and will function as reserved parking for the event. All vehicles must be removed from these lots by this time or they will be towed at the owner’s expense.
Parking tip: These lots are underused and they are a short shuttle ride or walk to the campus center.
Roo Express shuttle
Expect delays throughout the morning and afternoon on Wednesday as higher than normal traffic volume is expected.
The East Route will not make its usual stop at Rhodes Arena until after 5 p.m. It will instead drop passengers off at the College Street turnaround near the College of Arts and Sciences and Bierce Library.
The Dave’s Supermarket route will begin late, operating from 5 through 7 p.m.
Basketball start time changes
Tipoff for the men's basketball team's exhibition against Tiffin on Wednesday will be moved from 7 to 8 p.m. Details.
For those attending the event
Advice for those attending the event, from the Obama campaign:
- Tickets are required to attend. How to get tickets.
- The arena will open at 12:30 p.m. The line to enter will form outdoors.
- Wear your Zips gear, and dress for rain. Umbrellas are prohibited in the arena.
- Attendees will go through airport-like security and should bring as few personal items as possible. Prohibited: bottles, cans, liquids, signs, umbrellas, weapons, sharp objects and costumes (it is Halloween, after all). Small cameras are permitted.
Where event ticket holders should park
Arrive early! Parking will be tight. Parking permits will not be required on Wednesday, however, all other regulations will be enforced normally.
Event ticket holders are encouraged to use I-76/77 instead of the Buchtel/Carroll exit of Route 8.
Parking and wayfaring signs will be set out along both routes to assist people in finding parking.
Ticket holders should use the East Campus Parking Deck (Lot 1), South Campus Parking Deck (Lot 36), and Exchange Street Parking Deck (Lot 39). See map. No permits will be required on Wednesday.
Lots 2 and 13 will be used to provide accessible parking for those with disabilities.
Lot attendants will be present in many lots to offer additional assistance and direct pedestrians to Rhodes Arena.
Watch it live
The event will be carried live on our website. Visit our website for the link on Wednesday. Alternatively, it is expected to be carried live on C-SPAN or C-SPAN2 (channels 88 and 89) on campus cable.
About the event
This event is coordinated and hosted by Obama for America, and is not a University of Akron event. That the event is held on UA property should not be constituted as an endorsement of the Obama campaign by the University or its Board of Trustees.