Grab-N-Go Bull Market reopens with restrictions

A modified Grab-N-Go Bull Market will be open for students again with a maximum of 10 vendors each Wednesday until April 7. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

A familiar sight will greet students on their way to class Wednesday afternoon as the Marshall Student Center (MSC) will be hosting a modified version of one of USF’s long-standing traditions, Bull Market.

The revised version of the Bull Market, which has been put on hold since March, will be “grab-and-go” style, allowing up to 10 different student organizations or departments the chance to give out items and promote themselves and their virtual activities or initiatives with only one representative from each organization per table. It will run every Wednesday until April 7, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the south side of the MSC. 

“We wanted to be able to do it in a safe way, and so we figured that we could do a grab-and-go event to where people may be able to like have something where you can take a path and test a quick meal, or you can scan a QR code, whatever it may be,” said MSC Director Matt Marshall. 

The plan for a modified Grab-N-Go Bull Market was approved by the COVID-19 Task Force for the rest of the spring semester after Student Government “experimented” with other grab-and-go activities at the end of the fall semester, giving out stress relief packages during finals week, according to Dean of Students Danielle McDonald. For the time being, food items will not be allowed during the upcoming Bull Markets.

“So the COVID-19 task force decided to start allowing departments to do grab-and-go types of activities but weren’t comfortable yet with student organizations, as we needed a lot more of that administrative oversight that student organizations don’t always have,” said McDonald. “So, the [MSC] has agreed to sponsor a form of Bull Market.”

McDonald said Feb. 9 that student organizations may only sign up to table in one Bull Market per semester. Student organizations or departments that want to take part in Grab-N-Go Bull Markets throughout the rest of the semester can sign up on a first-come, first-served basis on BullSync.

No outside vendors are permitted at the event, and masks and social distancing will be required. Each table will be equipped with plexiglass shields, sanitization kits, hand sanitizer bottles and a box of masks to distribute to those who stop by. If an organization or department is present and has not been registered or is not in their designated space, they will be asked to leave by Bull Market staff.