Democratic National Convention - Aug. 25-29, 2008
Frequently asked questions for faculty, staff and students (updated 8/19/08)
The business and management functions of the University of Colorado Denver Downtown Campus will operate on normal schedules during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) Aug. 25-29, 2008. In cooperation with the Auraria Higher Education Center and our colleagues at Metro State College and Community College of Denver, no classes will be held on the Downtown Campus August 23-29. While UC Denver's goal is to conduct our work as routinely as possible, we also acknowledge that circumstances beyond the university's control could necessitate adjustments, such as increased security.
The Colorado Department of Public Safety issued a message the week of July 21 to state employees regarding traffic/commuting, government operations, safety, etc. during the DNC. The full-text of the message appears at the bottom of this page (please scroll to the bottom of this page to see the message).
On July 16, the City of Denver and Mayor John Hickenlooper announcemenced the city's DNC Access Plans. The information includes a map of the anticipated parade route and associated street closures.
Numerous questions continue to surface as the DNC approaches. We have developed the following questions and answers specifically focused on UC Denver to help keep you informed. Other information is available from University of Colorado Hospital (added 8/13/08), the City of Denver, the DNC Host Committee and the Auraria Higher Education Center. Additional information specific to UC Denver will be added here as it becomes available.
Q-1: (added Aug. 15, 2008) Will I be able to get to the area around our Downtown Campus buildings the Lawrence Street Center, UC Denver (Dravo) Building and/or Lawrence Street Court during the DNC?
A: There will be some road and street closures assocated with the DNC activities including the closure of I-25 for a short time beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 28. The area to be closed is from the I-25 interchange with I-70 to the interchange with 6th Avenue. See full detals and alternate routes listed on the Colorado Department of Transportation website.
Q-2: Will I be able to actually enter the Lawrence Street Center, UC Denver (Dravo) Building and/or Lawrence Street Court during the DNC? Or, any other Auraria Campus buildings?
A: Unless otherwise notified, University of Colorado Denver staff and faculty who require access to the three university-owned and managed buildings on the east side of Speer Boulevard will be able to access these structures using their encoded university-issued identification cards. You will need your ID card because these buildings will be locked for the duration of the DNC. Security personnel will have rosters of staff, faculty and students who have indicated that they expect to be in any one of these three buildings.
(added Aug. 7, 2008) Please note that due to increased security at the UC Denver managed buildings on the east side of Speer, you will need to use your coded access card at the card reader near the front doors of the building or enter the building through the parking mechanisms to access the buildings at 1380 Lawrence St., 1250 14th St. and 1475 Lawrence.
(added July 16, 2008) If you do not have a current university-issued ID, please work with your department's administrative support staff to obtain one through the Auraria Campus ID Program. Plan to wear your university-issued ID. Security personnel may ask to see your ID if they cannot see it easily.
All Auraria Campus buildings will be locked, with access available only for a few specific individuals pre-approved prior to the DNC dates.
(added July 11, 2008) The City of Denver Public Works traffic engineer's office and the Denver Police Department have informed UC Denver Police that the 1300 block of Lawerence Street will be accessible from northbound Speer Boulevard during the DNC. That means employees who park in the lower levels of the CU Denver Building can expect routine access to the gated-garage entrance off Lawrence, but the metal-mesh entrance gate will also be activated.
(added Aug. 6, 2008) We have been informed that no changes are expected in parking for UC Denver staff and faculty who currently park at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts Complex garage during the DNC week.
Q-3: (added Aug. 7, 2008) Will the UC Denver shuttle service Van-on-Demand between our locations be available during the DNC? Which ID must I show?
A: The shuttle service between the Anschutz Medical Campus, 9th Avenue and the Downtown Campus will be available the week of the DNC. You will need to display your university-issued ID card -- no matter which is your 'home' location.
(added Aug. 21, 2008)
If you have an Auraria Campus Parking Permit, you may park in designated areas on the 9th Avenue and Colorado Blvd. or Anschutz Medical Campuses through the CU reciprocal parking program. Remember you must display your Auraria permit in your vehicle to park in these lots. You can check online for reciprocal parking locations and more details on this program:
If you choose to park on either of these campuses, you may ride the Van-On-Demand shuttle to the Lawrence Street Center at 1380 Lawrence Street. In order to ride this shuttle, you must make a reservation by calling 303-521-2968. Again, a university-issued ID is required to ride the shuttle. Due to the projected demand of this service during the DNC, please allow for extra time and flexibility if needed. A final option for those with Auraria parking permits is to park in downtown visitor parking lots, including the Denver Performing Arts Complex garage at 14th and Arapahoe and seek reimbursement from your department. Obtain department approval before doing this.
Q-4: Is any extra security planned for the Lawrence Street Center, UC Denver (Dravo) Building and/or Lawrence Street Court during the DNC?
A: In additon to these buildings being locked 24/7 that week, officers from the University of Colorado Denver Police Department will be present in each of these buildings, along with security personnel who normally work in these locations.
- Be on the lookout for external doors propped open and close them. Then notify security personnel immediately.
- Do not admit anyone unknown to you into any building at anytime during the DNC.
- If you see any suspicious activity in or near any UC Denver or Auraria building, do not confront anyone unknown to you. Report it immediately to security personnel.
Q-5: How will I know if I am expected to work in my office located downtown?
A: Please discuss the particulars of your work schedule and work location for the week of the DNC with your supervisor.
Q-6: I am a supervisor and I have concerns about the ability of my staff to get into work at our Downtown Campus office locations during the DNC. Who can I contact to discuss my concerns?
A: Please contact Kevin Jacobs, Human Resources, at 303-315-2727.
Q-7: (added Aug. 15, 2008) Will there be U.S. Postal and intra-university mail service downtown during the DNC?
A: The Downtown Campus receives U.S. Postal Service deliveries through the Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC) mail center which plans to conduct normal deliveries to the Lawrence Street Center (LSC) at 1380 Lawrence Street and the CU Denver Building at 1250 14th Street. Our Anschutz Medical Campus (AMC) mail center also plans to follow a normal delivery schedule to our Downtown Campus locations during the DNC week. Here are more specifics:
- The AMC mail center will reroute the reports that go to the North Classroom cabinet for Student Data Reports to the CU Denver Building, Suite 107.
- Reports for the Downtown Campus Bursar and Financial Aid offices will be rerouted delivered to AMC mail stop A098 - Bursar and A088 - Financial Aid
- The AHEC mail center will reroute and deliver the noted departmental mail noted below to LSC for the AMC mail center to pick up and deliver
- Mail for the following will go to the LSC mail room will be placed in a tub and picked up for delivery/distribution by AMC mail center)
· Financial Aid and Student Financial Services (DC boxes 125 & 148) reroute to AMC box A088
· Bursar and Student Debt Management (DC boxes 131 & 139) reroute to AMC box A098
Mail that needs to be metered will be handled through either AMC and/or AHEC mail centers. All other mail will be held at the Auraria Campus mail center, then canoys deliveries will resume after the DNC and Labor Day holiday, Sept. 2.
Q-8: (added Aug. 15, 2008) I noticed that the U.S. Post Office drop boxes are gone from in front of the Lawrence Street Center. Is that related to the DNC?
A. Yes. The U.S. Postal Service temporarily has removed drop boxes in the general vicinity of the Pepsi Center including outgoing mailboxes located outside the Lawrence Street Center (LSC) and the Auraria Campus Tivoli Student Union front steps. The mailboxes will be reinstalled and available for use again after the DNC. Other mailboxes also may be removed, such as those used by AHEC Mail Services for collection of outgoing U.S. mail and provided as a convenience to students, faculty, and staff. Please plan to utilize other U.S. Postal Service drop boxes or stop by your local Post Office to mail your letters and packages.
Q-8a: (added Aug. 18, 2008) What should my voice mail message be if I'm away from my office during the DNC?
Suggested script: This is the office of (your name). Classes are not in session at the University of Colorado Denver Downtown Campus August 23-29, 2008 due to the Democratic National Convention. However, business functions and other UC Denver locations are operating on normal schedules. If you are trying to reach a UC Denver administrative office, please call 720-848-0000 to ask for the office or individual you are trying to reach. Otherwise, please leave a message so that I can return your call. Thank you.
Q-9: Are any special arrrangements being made for students living at Campus Village -- which is just across the way from the Pepsi Center?
A: UC Denver representatives are working very closely with the Campus Village management company to ensure the safety and security of student residents as well as to develop activities to engage students living there who will be on break during the week of the DNC. See student housing-related information at http://thunder1.cudenver.edu/housing/dnc.html.
Q-10: (added Aug. 18, 2008) What are the safety and security plans for UC Denver's other locations at the Anschutz Medical Campus and 9th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard?
During the week of the Democratic National Convention, the increase in visitors to the Denver area is significant. While we do not anticipate their presence will have an impact on the Anschutz Medical Campus, we want to remain proactive in maintaining our campus safety. The following is the Anschutz Medical Campus (AMC) in Aurora security plan during the Democratic National Convention (DNC):
The security plan at AMC includes those buildings owned by UC Denver as well as the grounds of The Children’s Hospital and the University of Colorado Hospital. Reference is also made to the 9th Avenue and Colorado Bouldevard Campus. The UC Denver Police Department completed a security assessment of the campus resulting in the following security measures for the week of the DNC. This plan will take effect Saturday, Aug. 23 at 6 a.m. and conclude Aug. 30 at 6 a.m.
Staffing:
The Police Department will be working 12-hour shifts. Additional police officers will be on duty at AMC, and additional guards will be on duty at the 9th and Colorado Campus. This is subject to change based on unanticipated events. The police personnel at AMC are prepared to respond to emergencies at the 9th and Colorado Campus if additional assistance is needed. They will ensure visibility and increased patrol activities around high risk locations on the campuses.
Employee Access:
The Research Complex towers (RC1 and RC2) will have a “heightened” security protocol. Univeristy Police Department personnel will be present in the three elevator lobbies to visibly inspect your UC Denver identification badge that must be displayed prior to entering an elevator. The perimeter doors will be placarded advising personnel of the heightened level of security.
Any employee without their UC Denver identification badge will not be allowed entry unless escorted from the elevator lobby by a UC Denver employee from their destination work unit with a UC Denver identification badge. The non-credentialed employee will be issued a temporary identification badge. Employees without a UC Denver identification badge on any subsequent days will be denied access and referred to the Badging Office.
Visitors:
To gain access to the buildings a visitor must check in at the elevator lobby and be issued a visitor name tag to be displayed while in the building and returned the tag upon their departure. The visitor will be logged in with an arrival time and will have to be escorted from the elevator lobby by the employee or employee representative hosting the visitor. The visitor’s departure time will be logged and name tag retrieved.
Parking:
Parking will be business as usual with the exception of the close monitoring by the police regarding delivery and other type vehicles parked near the buildings. The shuttle between the AMC and the 9th and Colorado Campus will continue on its current schedule. The Van On Demand will also be available. Information is available at http://administration.ucdenver.edu/admin/facilities/parking/CampusShuttle.htm
Preparation:
In preparation for this event, the UC Denver Police Department has met with representatives of the hospitals and the City of Aurora Police, Fire and Emergency Management Departments. Plans are being finalized for response protocols that may involve mass casualty impacts on the hospitals, events that may impact the UC Denver ability to conduct business as well as traffic management.
In addition, plans are being finalized with the Aurora Police Department for assistance if an event occurs exhausting the UC Denver Police Department resources.
Police contact information:
UC Denver Police Department can be contacted 24/7 by calling 911 from any campus phone for emergencies or 303-724-4444 for non-campus and non-emergency calls. Please report any suspicious activity immediately to the University Police Department. Information on emergency phone locations, safety tips and more can be found at www.uchsc.edu/police.
During the DNC event, the AMC and 9th and Colorado Campus police and security will be under the command of University of Colorado Denver Chief of Police Doug Abraham. He is being assisted by Sergeant Deana LoSasso. Both can be reached by contacting Police Communication Center at the above numbers.
In addition, the UC Denver Emergency Response Team (ERT) comprised of representation from police, facilities, information technology services, communications, student affairs, health and safety, etc are meeting daily to address any additional security concerns and respond to any last minute changes.
NEWS RELEASE
Aug. 19, 2008 -- AURARIA HIGHER EDUCATION CENTER ACTIVITIES DURING THE DNC
The Auraria Campus including the Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State College of Denver and the University of Colorado Denver downtown Denver campus have agreed to cancel all classes during the Democratic National Convention from August 23 – 29, 2008, resuming Saturday, August 30. To maintain the 16-week academic schedule, the 2008 fall semester began earlier than usual, on Monday, August 11th.
From August 23 - 29, the Auraria Campus will be closed and all campus buildings will be locked and access limited to authorized personnel only. No camping or other unauthorized activities will be permitted in any area of the Auraria Campus.
From August 23 – 27, Auraria Campus parking will be limited to pre-authorized personnel only. On Thursday, August 28, special event campus parking will available for $20/day to the general public in campus parking lots A, B, F, H, I, K, L, and W.
The Auraria Campus parking map can be found on the Auraria Campus website at: http://www.ahec.edu/parking/maps.htm. Information regarding the Auraria Campus during the DNC will continue to be updated on the Auraria Campus website at: www.ahec.edu.
Contact: Julie Hughes, Auraria Communications, 303-556-2243, hughesj@ahec.edu
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Message from the Colorado Department of Public Safety (posted week of July 21, 2008)
To: State Government Employees
From: Peter A. Weir, Executive Director, Department of Public Safety
As soon as detailed information became available, I wanted to let you know more about arrangements being made to welcome the thousands of special visitors to Colorado late next month during the Democratic National Convention. Most state agencies have assisted the Department of Public Safety in preparing for the convention, and I want to extend sincere thanks to all of you who have been involved and continue to be involved in planning activities.
This message likely will be the first of several designed to convey helpful information to everyone working in or with central Denver offices of state government agencies.
Commuting and Downtown Traffic
The best place to view the most current parade route and street access information is at Denver's web site: www.denvergov.org.
Denver's web site mentions RTD schedules but notes that final routing information will be provided soon. I suggest you continue to check back with the Denver web site to obtain the latest, detailed information about downtown access and transportation. If your duties include regular trips to downtown offices, I recommend the checking city's web site for access information.
As an alternative, if you are located within Denver city limits, you can obtain updates by calling 3-1-1. If you are traveling into Denver and calling from outside the city, a special phone line will be established. The number will be 720-913-1311, but PLEASE REFRAIN from using this number until August. The city does not plan to provide staffing for this number until a date closer to the convention.
Government Agency Operations and Involvement in Convention Planning
Governor Ritter assigned the Colorado Department of Public Safety to the lead role of security planning for the convention. Both CBI and the Colorado State Patrol at CDPS have significant responsibilities in security and safety for the convention.
Twelve state government agencies have been involved in planning for the convention. They include Agriculture, Public Health and Environment, Transportation, Personnel and Administration, Public Safety, Military and Veterans Affairs, Local Affairs, Corrections, Law, and Human Services, among others. In one way or another, the business of hosting an event of international interest affects these and other state agencies. To everyone who has contributed toward convention planning, I repeat my sincere thanks for your cooperation and understanding.
The convention should not alter significantly the normal roles and responsibilities of any state agency. Virtually all state agencies involved plan to operate normally and to provide customary services to the citizens of the entire state.
Reporting Suspicious Activity
The Colorado Information Analysis Center, the CIAC (pronounced "kayak"), will continue its role in handling reports of suspicious activity. Reports to CIAC can be filed on-line at https://www.ciac.co.gov/index.cfm or by telephone at 720-852-6705. CIAC is a 24/7 operation. When suspicious activity is seen anywhere in the state, CIAC should be notified. CIAC's analysts include highly trained State Patrol troopers and security officials from other state and federal agencies. CIAC will be among several nerve centers for managing security needs. CIAC, by the way, was recently declared by a top official in the Department of Homeland Security as one of the nation's three top "fusion centers," or homeland security analysis facilities. The Colorado State Patrol established CIAC. The other top fusion centers are located in Los Angeles and Arizona.
When there is immediate threat to safety, local law enforcement should be notified by calling 9-1-1. For more information regarding what constitutes suspicious activity, as opposed to emergencies, please refer to the guidelines on the CIAC web site.
Access to state buildings during the convention should be no different from any other typical business day where members of the public are allowed.
Security
The Denver Police Department is responsible for public safety within Denver city limits, including streets in the Capitol Complex area. The State Patrol is responsible for safety and security in state buildings in the Capitol Complex area. All state agencies have existing safety plans, and these plans should remain readily available and known to state employees.
More About What to Expect
Most convention delegates, guests and media crews are expected to arrive on Saturday, August 23. At least 100 parties, events and gatherings will follow throughout the week. The convention opens officially on Monday, August 25 and concludes on Thursday, August 28.
The peak times during which convention delegates will be meeting at the Pepsi Center are 3-9 p.m. The timing of convention activities should reduce the consequences to most business commuter traffic.
Who Are the Visitors?
Convention delegates include those chosen by the party to attend the main events. Among the delegates are some 27 Democratic governors and their staffs, other state and local government officials from throughout the country and members of the U.S. Congress. The number of all types of delegates and officials is about 6,000.
The total number of delegates, visitors, reporters and news crew members in August could reach 50,000.
Some people have asked if they will be able to see convention delegates. The city of Denver plans to provide a public viewing area outside the Pepsi Center for this purpose.
Reporters and News Media
With some 15,000 reporters and production crew members anticipated for the convention, the hunger for news stories will be significant. State employees should refer all reporters' questions about security and safety to the city of Denver or to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. A CBI contact for reporters is Lance Clem, 303-239-4415, or Lance.Clem@cdps.state.co.us.
A special Joint Information Center, called a "JIC," will be opened in downtown Denver beginning Saturday, August 23. Additional phone numbers and contact information will be distributed to state employees as the convention approaches.
If you are asked questions by a reporter about your impressions of the convention or concerning any non-security related matter, it's up to you and your agency's media relations policies to determine if you wish to comment. Otherwise, refer the reporter to the Denver Police Department or CBI.
Thank you for your continued dedication to providing services to the citizens of Colorado.
Peter A. Weir
Executive Director
Department of Public Safety