Dear Trojan Community,
Following the Rams’ Super Bowl victory this past Sunday, a parade and rally will take place tomorrow, February 16, 2022 to celebrate the team’s championship. The parade begins at the Shrine Auditorium at 11:00 a.m., and participants will walk via Jefferson Boulevard and Figueroa Street to Exposition Park, where a rally is scheduled in front of the Coliseum’s peristyle. We are writing to you because of the impacts this event will have on our campus operations.
Street closures and delays
While we await the finalization of specific details, we understand that Figueroa Street will be closed between Adams Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, and Jefferson Boulevard will be closed between Figueroa Street and Hoover Street. Traffic officials will begin closing these streets at 8:00 a.m., with all closures likely to be in place by 9:00 a.m. We have posted further details on the USC Transportation site.
The street closures will present significant delays for those trying to access the University Park Campus. It is likely that the best way to enter campus during the rally will be from the Vermont Street side of campus. USC Transportation will publish specific entry point closures, but you can expect all entrances along the parade route to be closed during the event. Other significant impacts to university operations will stem from increased pedestrian and automotive traffic, safety operations, and parking demand.
If you are coming to campus tomorrow, you are urged to arrive before 8:00 a.m. to avoid significant delays. Although we expect the rally to end in the early afternoon, it is possible that crowds will remain in the area beyond the conclusion of the event, creating delays for those departing campus.
Because we are unable to confirm all of the details at this time, the university will use the TrojansAlert system, as well as our social media channels, to provide as-needed updates this evening and throughout the day tomorrow.
Academic and university operations
To the greatest extent possible, USC will remain open on Wednesday, February 16, and general academic operations should proceed as scheduled. Libraries will remain open during normal operating hours.
However, given the likely impacts described above, the university asks that deans, faculty, and managers make the best possible accommodations for tomorrow.
In the past, faculty have done the following to help deal with similar situations:
- Pivot to remote learning for a day to avoid disruptions.
- If your class syllabus includes off-campus activities or work that can be done away from campus, plan such an activity for tomorrow.
- Reschedule a class or activity for a different date or time.
Faculty: please reach out to the students in your classes as soon as possible if your plans for instruction change.
Students: you are expected to attend classes and complete assignments per the instructions of your faculty.
Staff: your supervisors have discretion to allow remote work if feasible, so please follow their instructions.
Although this comes on short notice, please plan your Wednesday with this information in mind.
Thank you for your flexibility and cooperation.
Charles F. Zukoski
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
David W. Wright
Senior Vice President for Administration