By Kayleigh Holcombe
Howard University News Service
WASHINGTON– With official plans to accommodate Vice President Kamala Harris’ election night headquarters, Howard University officials have taken into consideration the safety of students, Harris-Walz campaign staff and other election night participants by limiting access to university parking lots, on-campus buildings and surrounding streets.
As the university plans to eliminate risks associated with protests and large crowds, the Office of Parking and Transportation Services, operating under the Office of Auxiliary Enterprises, has collaborated with surveillance programs to ensure the safety of all students and local residents.
“We have been working on an extensive Election Day parking and transportation plan in partnership with the Democratic National Convention, Secret Service and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to ensure the safety and security of the Howard community, the Harris-Walz campaign committee, stakeholders and attendees,” said LaNiece Tyree, assistant vice president of the Office of Auxiliary Enterprises.
Harris-Walz election night events are private spaces that will not be accessible to the general public, according to the Howard University Election Week Central Hub. Major streets surrounding the university, including Georgia Avenue, College Street and Bryant Place will be heavily monitored by the MPD.
Students and university personnel are allowed to participate in Election Day events only with approved admission and credentials from the Harris-Walz campaign. However, the MPD will remain on campus to maintain road closures and secure the campus perimeter.
“Because we are in a city that is so full of lawmakers, policymakers and people that are in need of high-level security, we are here on post to make sure that residents and our current VP are safe,” MPD Officer Tate said. “It [road closures] may be inconvenient, but sometimes, safety isn’t so convenient.”
To accommodate the road closures and limited campus building operations, Howard has implemented remote work days for non-essential students, faculty and staff from Monday, Nov. 4, to Thursday, Nov. 7, with classes suspended on Election Day.
Despite the university’s remote modality, Howard students and local residents still have to navigate the road closures and heightened security presence on campus to complete tasks and errands on Election Day.
“A lot of the sidewalks have been gated off, and we couldn’t even get to walk through the Yard,” said sophomore, Babatunmise Aremu. “We had to go the long way around campus because we couldn’t cut through the Valley either and there have been police officers on every crosswalk.”
The university’s shuttle service is available to all Howard personnel and offers transportation to and from key areas, including the main campus, student residence halls and Howard University Hospital.
Shuttle services are typically suspended for national holidays and official breaks, including Labor Day, winter recess and Memorial Day.
Because Howard recognizes Election Day as a university closure, the Office of Parking and Transportation Services shuttle bus drivers are essential personnel and have been instructed to operate shuttles on a modified route, further limiting student access to the campus as an extra precaution.
“In our Election Day communication plan, we have emphasized the shuttle services’ modified schedule, directing students to check the updated schedule on the shuttle app for real-time information,” Tyree said.
Students are experiencing minimal access to rideshare and taxi services, including Uber and Lyft, because of the road closures.
“I feel like Uber and Lyft are hard to access because they can’t get close to wherever you are, so you have to meet them on the streets that are not secured by police,” Aremu said.
Although movement is restricted, securing the campus perimeter has proven successful.
“Overall, I think Howard did a great job securing the campus because the campus is open and anyone can walk through, so you just don’t know the type of people who can walk up when everyone’s behaving as if it’s a normal day,” Aremu said.
Officer Tate believes the university made the right call by using the proper resources to secure the campus.
“Our neighbors in the states of Maryland and Virginia don’t get half, or even a third of the protests and demonstrations that we frequently handle in D.C.,” Tate said. “I think we are well equipped, and we asked for the right partners and the right help to make sure that students and local residents are safe.”
The Office of Auxiliary Enterprises is happy to offer support for the students and campus personnel who are impacted by campus road closures while ballots are tallied around the United States.
“We are excited to host the Harris-Walz campaign committee at the university for the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election,” Tyree said. “The Office of Auxiliary Enterprises is proud to support this historic event.”
“We will provide regular updates on our Election Week Central Hub website and communicate widely with the campus community to ensure everyone stays informed.”
Kayleigh Holcombe is a reporter for HUNewsService.com.
