Frequently Asked Questions for Institute Participants
1. May I bring a guest?
We have based on our budget on single rooms but there are double rooms available. If you would like to pay the difference, we can reserve a double room for you. It is recommended that a meal plan be purchased in advance for your guest: we can provide the estimates for this based on your needs. It will be possible to have dining hall access without a meal plan, but the conference bureau recommends advance purchase when possible.
2. Do I need to bring a computer?
Yes. We have not reserved electronic classrooms for this institute and we may be changing rooms over the course of the three weeks. If you are unable to bring a laptop, contact us and we will endeavor to make other arrangements.
3. May I arrive early (or stay an extra few days)?
You may arrive early, although we prefer that everyone arrives on July 23 in order to centralize orientation and room access. We are depending on the availability of campus staff to activate your dining pass and provide you with room access, so we are working to coordinate arrivals with them.
Depending on the conference bureau staffing, we may have to ask you to room or eat off campus if you arrive early. As our budget is limited, we are hoping to avoid this since the expense may be significantly greater and may result in some additional out of pocket expenses.
You cannot stay on campus after the night of August 10: the rooms we are using close on August 11 for intersession maintenance. August 11 is the departure date. Breakfast will be available on August 11th but you should arrange for other meals on that date. If you need a room for the night of August 11th, please contact us so we can assist with arrangements.
4. I’m unsure about the airfare restrictions for an international flight. Could you help?
Yes, send us a preview of the proposed itinerary. Note that under code sharing, if the ticket reads “American Airlines operated by British Airways” or “Delta Airlines operated by Air France” this is acceptable; always choose the option which results in the US carrier issuing your tickets, however.
5. Will we be meeting on the weekends?
No, no weekend sessions are scheduled at this writing. We may organize leisure activities or similar events for those who are interested. These will be optional.
6. How long will it take to be reimbursed?
We cannot reimburse you until after the institute-related travel is complete.
In cases where original, unique supporting documentation is required (boarding passes, for example), we must have this information in hand before we can begin processing your reimbursement. We may also ask you for an email confirming payment instructions (address, or wire transfer information, where applicable). Further instructions on reimbursement will be distributed during the institute.
Reimbursements will be processed as soon as possible following the institute, in general within a few days of receipt. Once we have received your documentation and confirmed that it meets the requirements, the paperwork will be submitted to our accounting and accounts payable offices. In general, a check is issued 10 days after this paperwork is sent to accounting. If we need additional documentation, we will request this as soon as this is brought to our attention.
7. Do you have recommendations on what I should bring?
Yes, see this page hosted by the conference bureau.
8. Are there kitchen facilities available in the residence hall?
No, there is no kitchen available to participants.
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