OXFORD, Miss. – More than 3,000 media representatives, vendors,
campaign workers and other visitors are expected in town for the Sept.
26 presidential debate, putting a squeeze on campus parking resources.
The University of Mississippi is asking faculty, staff and students to
help by “making room.”
The university is contractually obligated to provide parking for our
guests. An effort is under way to provide shuttles for employees and
students to get around campus, but shuttling from multiple lots across
town is impractical and likely to result in long wait/ride times, said
Noel Wilkin, interim associate provost.
“We need everybody’s help,” Wilkin said. “This is a great opportunity for faculty, staff and students to help us be gracious hosts to the many visitors who will be on campus that week. If you are willing and able to make room for the debate, it will help ensure that those who have to drive to campus will be able to get to class and to work in a timely fashion.”
Beginning this week, faculty, staff and students are invited to commit to an effort to free up parking spaces during debate week. The project, dubbed “Make Room for the Presidential Debate,” asks participants to commit to:
- Leave your car at home and be dropped off and picked up
- Leave your car at home and carpool with another faculty/staff member or student
- Leave your car at home and walk or ride your bike, or
- Take your car out of the resident parking lot and park it at a friend’s house off campus for the week
In exchange for making the commitment, the first 2,000 people who sign up will get $10 added to their university ID (Flex) that can be used at any campus food service establishment. Also, each person who signs the commitment will be entered into a drawing for one of 15 pairs of tickets to a Ford Center performance.
To sign up, go to http://debate.olemiss.edu and click on the link under “Parking & Shuttles.” You will need your Web ID, password and auto license plate number to register.