What to Expect During the Democratic National Convention

From Monday, August 19, to Thursday, August 22, Chicago will host the Democratic National Convention (DNC). The convention will primarily take place at the United Center and McCormick Place; however, there will be related events happening throughout the city. Given the influx of visitors, the impact on access to the Loop, and the potential for demonstrations, we want to share information on what to expect during the week of the convention.

Campus Updates
There will be fewer staff on campus the week of the convention. Please note:

• Buildings will be open during the day and will close at 5:00 p.m. from August 16–23. As is typical during the summer, cafés will be open with reduced hours.
• SafeRide will begin operating after its usual summer hiatus. It will be available starting Wednesday, August 21. However, service may take longer if there are ongoing disruptions stemming from the DNC.
• The gate between the 280 Building and the museum will be closed.
• Only approved visitors will be allowed on campus.

Due to the anticipated impact to the Loop and the city’s decision not to grant street permits during the convention, we communicated a shift to the residence hall move-in and Welcome Week schedules to students and their parents. Move-in will now take place on Saturday, August 24, and Sunday, August 25, with Welcome Week beginning Sunday evening and going through Tuesday, August 27.

Since summer classes and Continuing Studies programs wrap up earlier in August, we will not have classes taking place during the DNC, though the School will remain open the week of August 19.

Street Closures
Extensive street closures are planned for the areas surrounding the United Center and McCormick Place. As of this writing, there are no street closures planned near campus; however, we may see rolling street closures throughout the downtown area. Here is the list of announced street closures.

Stay Informed
Campus operations are subject to change as more information becomes available leading up to and during the DNC. If needed, we will send urgent alerts to students, faculty, and staff through text, call, and email via the School’s RAVE system. To make sure you receive the alerts, please review your contact information. To do this, take the following steps:

• Students: Go to saic.edu/students, select “Self-Service'' and log into Peoplesoft Self-Service. Select “Profile,” then “Contact Details.''
• Employees: Go to UKG and follow the instructions on page six of this UKG Employee User Guide.

Campus Security will send a test message on Tuesday, August 13, at noon. Please make sure your information is updated before August 13. If you do not get a notification on August 13, follow the instructions above to verify your contact information.

To receive updates from the city regarding rolling street closures, emergencies, and other alerts, please sign up for NotifyChicago, a city service that provides text and/or email alerts on various emergency and non-emergency situations. Together with the Chicago OEMC App, the city provides information on weather related emergencies, traffic alerts, and more. Here you'll find more information on how to stay updated.

Protests
The city of Chicago informed us that demonstrations are planned during the DNC. If you are planning on taking part in any demonstrations, please do so in a safe and informed manner. It is important to stay vigilant and aware of your surroundings, keep multiple points of egress in mind, and—if possible—attend any protests with a friend.

We support and encourage the expression of one’s beliefs. While students are free to express opinions individually or as part of an organized group, opinions should be expressed in a manner that is peaceful and respects the rights of others without endangering the safety of the community and the operation of its campus or programming. Please be aware that Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx has indicated her intention to prosecute peaceful protestors charged with disorderly conduct, unlawful gathering, or criminal trespass during the DNC.