What to know about campus operations during the RNC, July 15-19

The Republican National Convention will be held in Milwaukee from July 15-19, and it is expected to bring nearly 50,000 people to the city. In preparation for the influx of visitors to campus and the downtown area, adjustments have been made by Marquette University and the City of Milwaukee that impact work and commute experiences for Marquette employees.

As was the case in 2020, when Milwaukee was set to host the Democratic National Convention, the university looks forward to working with nonpartisan and bipartisan partners throughout the city to ensure Milwaukee is positively represented on the national and international stages, leading up to and during the convention.   

Security perimeter borders Marquette’s campus

The United States Secret Service released its finalized map of the general areas expected to be affected by the operational security plan for the Republican National Convention; the impacted area borders the eastern side of Marquette University’s campus, starting at 9th Street. As a result, the Marquette campus is not within the perimeter. 

The secure areas are divided into a vehicle security perimeter (shaded in yellow) and a pedestrian restricted perimeter (shaded in red).

Residences and businesses inside the vehicle screening perimeter will be accessible to the public. Pedestrians and bicyclists will be able to freely enter this area. Vehicles will be permitted, though they must enter through a vehicle screening point, which are marked as black circles on the map. 

The pedestrian restricted perimeter will be accessible only to credentialed or ticketed individuals, such as convention attendees or volunteers. 

Those who will be on campus during the convention are asked to review these borders while planning a commute.

The City of Milwaukee has additionally announced parking restrictions during the RNC. Some of the restrictions went into effect on Friday, July 5.

Marquette is unlikely to have advance notice of road closures or changes to bus routes. These decisions will be made by the Secret Service and will be communicated in real time. 

Real-time updates on street closures, traffic disruptions and other potential impacts to campus will be shared via the campus safety alert text system. Employees should be sure they are signed up for safety text alerts. To do so, go to the “Personal Information” section of MyJob and insert your cell phone number. The phone number listed must be labeled as “mobile” to receive texts — if it’s listed as “home,” you won’t receive text alerts.

Changes to campus operations during the RNC

The following changes to campus operations are in place during the week of the RNC, July 15-19:

• In-person classes will not be held the week of July 15-19 during the RNC; instructors have been asked to offer classes virtually or provide alternative activities, such as asynchronous classwork, student-directed research or independent reading. Off-campus internships, community fieldwork placements and similar off-campus experiences will not be directly affected by university policy.
• Campus clinics have been asked to close or consider changing hours given expected traffic impacts.
• Clinics operated by the College of Health Sciences will be open during the week of the RNC, with limited hours available.
• The School of Dentistry and its clinics will be closed the week of the RNC and open during the Gift of Time (except for July 4).
• Youth summer camps will not be held during the week of the RNC.
• Eckstein Hall will be closed the week of the RNC, except for two events being hosted in the building. Law School classes will be held online.

Campus remains operational during the RNC; some hours changed

Thank you to the many employees who will work on campus during the RNC to provide for our students and guests, keep campus secure, and ensure that building projects and facilities projects remain on track.

Campus remains operational during the RNC:

• McNair Scholars, students in the Student Support Services and EOP pre-college programs, student-athletes, and students holding summer leases in campus apartments will have housing this summer.
• For the convention, approximately 1,500 guests will be staying on campus, with all proceeds going to student scholarships. The Commons dining hall, AMU, Brew AMU, Spirit Shop, Union Station, Rec Plex and O’Donnell (for guest-use only) recreational facilities will be open to serve guests.
• Raynor Library will close at 3 p.m. each day during the convention. The library opens at 7:45 a.m.
• The Marquette University Medical Clinic will remain open for students Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. with no lunch closure.  Students should call (414) 288-7184 to schedule an appointment during business hours. For after-hours care, students can call 24/7 at (1-800) 362-9900. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call (414) 288-1911. Hours and information will be updated on the Medical Clinic website.
• The Counseling Center will be open from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday during the convention. Services can be delivered via telehealth or in person appointments. More information and any changes to hours will be posted on the Counseling Center website.
• Construction projects and other facilities improvements will continue​ during the RNC.
• Faculty research will continue across campus; faculty will have access to labs, offices, etc.
• The Marquette University Child Care Center will adjust hours and communicate those hours directly to parents and guardians.​
• Admissions will offer tours for RNC attendees, if requested by June 26.

Faculty and staff without on-campus RNC responsibilities are encouraged to work from home during the week of the convention

Due to increased traffic, street closures and altered bus routes, faculty and staff are encouraged to work remotely from July 15-19, or use flex hours to leave campus by 3 p.m. for those with jobs that remain on campus with prior approval by your supervisor.

Supervisors should communicate with faculty and staff who will be required to be on campus during the convention due to the nature of their work and their ability to provide services to guests. For non-exempt staff who, due to their job function, are not able to work remotely, supervisors may be asked to deploy those individuals to other areas of campus that need additional resources or to serve as Marquette ambassadors.

The university encourages those who will be working on campus during the RNC to allocate extra time to commute to and from work. Summer faculty researchers are encouraged to flex hours to work earlier in the day if possible.

In alignment with Human Resources’ recommendation, no new employees should begin during the week of the convention.

Employees encouraged to park in parking structures during RNC

Employee permit holders whose lot assignment is in a surface lot are encouraged to move to Structure 1 or 2 during the convention for added security. Lot permit holders can request clearance for the structures via Parking Services.

Lot T permit holders will be reassigned to Structure 1 during the duration of the convention.

Employees who typically park on the street can pre-purchase a daily chaser ticket for $10 per day (chaser tickets can be pre-purchased starting Tuesday, July 9) or a monthlong July permit for $69 from Parking Services. Pre-purchasing a chaser ticket will help avoid increased parking rates during the week of the convention. The daily rate to park in both structures will increase to $60 per day from July 14-19 with a fee of $150 for a lost ticket/lost chaser.

Employees can additionally stop into the Parking Services office in the Alumni Memorial Union on the day they park during the convention to purchase a ticket.

MUPD does not know what/if street parking will be allowed or which meters will be hooded during the convention; this could be a last-minute decision made by the City of Milwaukee.

Contractors are responsible for their own parking.

If an employee would like a ride to or from the parking structure to their office, they should contact Campus Safety.

Campus buildings besides AMU locked with MUID access

Those who will be on campus during the convention are strongly encouraged to wear their Marquette University ID and have a secondary form of identification available. 

University buildings will additionally require MUID swipe access in the interest of safety. All buildings on campus except for the Alumni Memorial Union will be secured with MUID card access from July 1 through July 19 (Gift of Time through the end of the convention). Only the north entrance to Zilber Hall will be accessible without an MUID the week of July 8; the entire building will be secured the week of July 15.

Dining on campus

The Commons dining hall and the Brew Cafe will remain open during the convention for the campus community and guests. Law enforcement, military and first responders receive a 10% discount at both locations and on all orders in the Everyday app.

The Commons

The Brew Cafe

• Thursday, July 11: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Friday, July 12: 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Saturday, July 13, through Sunday, July 14: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Monday, July 15, through Friday, July 19: 5 a.m. to 5 p.m.