How do I make my travel plans?
You can either purchase your ticket yourself and be reimbursed for up to $515, or make arrangements through UCLA Travel. The latter option is probably better. Call (310) 206-2639 or (800) 235-UCLA, and speak with any available travel agent and decide on an itinerary. The travel agent will need the name of a contact person in the Department of Political Science. Jenny Wang is our contact person. Give the travel agent Jenny's phone number (310-825-3378) and email (jennyw@polisci.ucla.edu). The travel agent will send Jenny the itinerary so that she can issue the purchase order to pay the tickets.
If driving, you'll be reimbursed for mileage (for which you should have documentation, such as a print out from mapquest), with a ceiling at the cost of a flight for the same distance.
What should I bring?
You should obviously bring clothes for warm weather and something for chilly nights (average temperatures for June and July are highs in the low-to-mid 80's, lows in the low-to-mid 60's). Generally the dress code will be "grad school casual" (including dinners), but we suggest you bring at least one business-casual outfits for your presentation. Bring a laptop computer (see below), the reading material that was sent to you, and notebooks, pens, pencils, etc. You may want to bring a swimsuit and beach towel for the swimming pool (which is nearby) or for a trip to the beach.
Bath towels and other bathroom amenities will be provided in the rooms, as will an alarm clock, pillow, and bedclothes. Hairdryers are not provided - if you need one, bring it. There are a few irons that can be borrowed from the front desk, but they need to be returned as soon as they are finished being used (so you may want to bring your own). Items such as laundry detergent are available for purchase in Sunset Village nearby.
What are the rooms like?
Single occupancy rooms with private baths. All air-conditioned rooms are non-smoking, and equipped with alarm clocks, cable television, daily maid service, telephones, bathroom amenities, and Internet access.
When should I arrive?
Check in time at DeNeve Plaza is 4pm on Sunday June 24.
Dinner Sunday night will be in the regular dining room in DeNeve Plaza, where all of the out of town folks will be staying. There are a variety of food stations (hot food, salad bar, pizza, pasta, etc.) where you serve yourself. We have reserved a private dining room (creatively named "DeNeve Private Dining Room.") As you enter the main area, the private room is in the back to the right; we'll post a sign saying EITM on the outside. If your arrival time permits, we hope that you'll come down at 6:00 p.m., get your dinner and bring your tray back to this room so that we can all have dinner together. I know that a few of you will be arriving too late, if that's the case, don't worry, we'll see you Monday morning. The dining hall is open until 8 pm. After dinner Sunday night, Kathy Bawn will be leading a walk around campus and down to Westwood Village for anyone who would like to stretch their legs and get their bearings. We'll leave from DeNeve front steps around 7:15.
Our meeting room for the Institute is DeNeve Study Lounge (one floor below the front desk.) Tyson and I will be setting things up there Sunday afternoon, from about 4:00 onward. Feel free to stop by and say hi.
The Summer Institute officially begins at 9:00 am on Monday June 25.
How should I get from the airport (if flying) to UCLA?
Driving time from LAX to UCLA is approximately 20 minutes in light traffic conditions and longer when traffic is heavy. Approximate rates for airport shuttle (approx $14.00/person) and taxi (approx $30.00 one way). The UCLA Travel Center recommends Prime Time Shuttle for transportation between LAX and the UCLA campus. Visit www.primetimeshuttle.com or call 1-800-Red Vans for reservations and information. Prime Time Shuttle offers a UCLA rate of $14.00 one-way between LAX and the campus. Be sure to ask for the current "UCLA special rate" when reserving this shuttle transportation. Keep your receipts and we will reimburse you for your taxi or shuttle expenses.
Tell the taxi driver or shuttle to take you to DeNeve Plaza. Most should know where this is, but just in case here are directions: Exit the 405 at Sunset Boulevard east. Take Sunset Blvd east about one mile, and make a right at Bellagio Drive, whereupon you will enter the UCLA campus. At the first stop sign on Bellagio make a left and follow to Charles E. Young Drive. Make a right on Young Dr. and follow signs to Dykstra/De Neve. Go to the Front Desk of DeNeve Plaza to check in.When do I leave?
The Summer Institute will end on the afternoon of Friday July 20. Most people will leave that evening or the next day. Check out time at DeNeve Plaza is 11:00 am Saturday July 21.
Do I need to bring my computer?
Yes, you will need to bring your own laptop. A wireless antenna is helpful, though not necessary. There is wireless service over all of UCLA campus and ethernet connections in the sleeping rooms. If you will not be able to bring your own computer, please let Tyson know as soon as possible (email to eitm@ucla.edu.).
Is there any special software I should have loaded on my computer?
Yes, you should have R downloaded on your computer, and you should spend some time making sure it works before arrival.
How do I connect to the wireless network when I get to UCLA?
We will provide you with a username and password when you arrive. Guests with laptops connect to the UCLA public wireless network called UCLAWLAN. As long as your laptop is wireless enabled, you should see the UCLAWLAN in the wireless network list. Once you open a web browser and try to access a website, a login page will be displayed and you can enter the userID and password assigned to you.
How do I print on the printer while at EITM?
If you would like to be able to send print jobs wirelessly from your own computer, please download the driver. (This is the driver for HP 4350 PCL 6.) I don't think you can actually install the driver without being in contact with the printer, but it will helpful if you have it already downloaded..
What will be my mailing address and phone number while I am staying at UCLA?
De Neve Plaza
351 Charles E. Young Drive West
Los Angeles, CA 90024-1314
Phone: (310) 825-5451
Fax: (310) 206-8779
What can I do if I want to take a break from thinking about the empirical implications of theoretical models?
The L.A. Film Festival is in Westwood Village June 21 - July 1. Some of the movies have political content - chalk it up as research. There are also some free events happening on Broxton Ave.
The beach isn't far. Invite someone with a car to join you, or take the Santa Monica Blue Bus, which picks up from UCLA. http://www.bigbluebus.com/ The Venice Beach boardwalk is a lot of fun, you can rent bikes or rollerblades or work out at Muscle Beach. The Santa Monica Pier is fun too - free concerts every Thursday night during the summer.
The Localhikes web site provides information on local hiking opportunities. Runyon Canyon is a good one, if you like dogs. Temescal Canyon an Mt. Hollywood are really nice ones too.
The Fowler Museum of Cultural History is located on campus; the museum celebrates the world's diverse cultures and rich visual arts, especially those of Africa, Asia, Oceania, Native and Latin America.
J.Paul Getty Museum - Renowned for its striking architecture, and located near campus, this museum exhibits European painting, drawings, manuscripts, and sculptures as well as European and American photographs.
The Hollywood Bowlis a good place for a picnic and good music under the stars. Nose-bleed seats are pretty cheap, too.
Theatre LA is the Angeleno's answer to the TKTS phenom in NYC (aka the place to buy half price theater tickets)