For some University of Tampa students, the Republican National Convention (RNC) will be a rare opportunity to get a glimpse of politics at work and could even jumpstart a political career or two. For others however, the RNC and all the politicians, reporters and tourists it is set to bring to Tampa, Florida will verge on nightmarish. With the week of the RNC coinciding with the first week of classes at UT, there are bound to be some headaches for students, professors, and staff.
- Traffic Panic
With UT being less than two miles from the Tampa Bay Times Forum where the RNC is being held, traffic will be understatedly terrible. Seriously, just stay home if you commute, or plan to leave two to three hours before classes start. If driving through downtown during rush hour wasn’t bad enough, add an estimated 50,000 visitors, as reported by the 2012 GOP convention website, and it just might be smarter to ground yourself on campus that first week. All 2,286 delegates, 2,125 alternate delegates, 15,000 members of the media, and other tourists and visitors will be flooding the streets of Tampa. Try to avoid that at all costs.
- Road Closures
If you do have to drive to or from campus during the week of the RNC, expect plenty of road closures along with that traffic. The Secret Service has issued plans and restrictions for where residents of Tampa and the 50,000 visitors can park, drive, and walk during the RNC. The Selmon Expressway for example, will be closed from the start of the RNC between Willow Avenue and 50th Street, a major route to the university for some commuters. Although, the Reversible Elevated Lanes of the Selmon Expressway will be open during that time. Street parking will be prohibited in many areas and traffic patterns have been altered. Navigating one way streets through downtown is difficult enough for some. These new plans and restrictions sure won’t help any.
- Safety in Protest
It’s estimated that 10,000 protesters will come to Tampa for the RNC. Now, some of these protesters may be peaceful, just exerting their First Amendment rights and voicing their qualms with the GOP, government, war, jobs, and more. However, protests aren’t always peaceful and that brings up the concern of safety for UT students, professors, and staff, particularly because campus is so close to the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
- Orientation Madness
Those 50,000 visitors, delegates, and journalists will need ways to get to and through Tampa and will need a place to stay. So, what does that mean for UT students moving in and the parents that will be helping them? Over 90,000 hotel rooms have been booked for the week of the RNC, apparently 20,000 more than expected, and the Tampa International Airport is expecting heavy traffic. Orientation and move in week is an exciting time for students, but it can be stressful. Add 50,000 visitors in the mix for crowded airports, hotels, and streets and that stress level can only escalate.
- Classes Will Continue
Despite the above difficulties and concerns, classes will be held as planned in accordance with the regular Fall 2012 schedule. While some professors may choose to hold classes online through Blackboard, others may stick to regular classes forcing some to face the chaos throughout Tampa and around the RNC site. Through endless traffic, tricky road closures, the danger of protests and potential riots, and of course the influx of 50,000 people to the city of Tampa, classes will continue on, whether we like it or not. Luckily, students, professors, and staff will only have to bear through these stressors for a week, though will no doubt be glad to leave it behind them.
Jessica Keesee can be reached at jessica.keesee@theminaretonline.com.