6/5/97
To Workshop Participant:
Welcome to Worcester Polytechnic Institute! These details are largely similar what you should have already received in the mail. A more detailed schedule will be included in your packet.
In the following I have tried to pull together as many details as I could about the logistics surrounding the workshop. If you have further questions you are welcome to call me at (508)831-5622 (work) or (508)842-5242 (home). You can also send email to cew@cs.wpi.edu.
Participants may check out Saturday or Sunday using directions provided to you at check in. Breakfast Sunday morning for those of you staying over Saturday night will be provided in Founders Hall. The meal Saturday evening for those who are staying over, will arranged Transportation to my house will be provided to those who need it.
By car: Travel to I-290 in Worcester (reachable via either I-495 or from the Mass. Turnpike (I-90, Exit 10).
If traveling east on I-290 (from Mass. Pike) take Exit 17, turning left at the end of the ramp onto Highland St. Proceed through a few lights until you come to Boynton St (does not have a light). Turn right on Boynton and proceed until you reach a stop sign at Institute Rd. Go through the stop sign and Founders Hall will be on your right. Turn in the first parking lot on your right.
If traveling west on I-290 (from I-495) take Exit 18, turning right at the end of the ramp and then making an immediate right before the next traffic light. Continue on this street (Salisbury St.) until you come to Boynton St. on your left (Institute Park will be on your right). Turn left on Boynton St. and proceed past a church and set of apartment buildings on your left (WPI is on your right) until you reach a parking lot on your left. Founders Hall is the just past the parking lot on the left (before you reach Institute Rd.).
By air: Worcester has an airport with direct service from Newark, Laguardia and Philadelphia (as I last recall). The airport is about a 10-minute taxi ride from campus. I typically travel out of Boston's Logan Airport, which is about an hours drive from campus. Ground transportation between Logan and WPI is available if you do not want to rent a car. There are many ``limo'' services in the Worcester area, which you may call and make arrangements. One service is Knights Airport Limo at 1-800-822-5456. Their 1996 rates were $26 one way or $48 round trip. The other service is Worcester Airport Limo at 1-800-660-0992. Their 1996 rates were $29 one way or $50 round trip. I have used both services for my own travel and have a preference for Knights, but either is fine.
The workshop group will be housed in Founders Hall, which is on the east side of the WPI campus. Rooms are organized in suites of 4 or 6 bedrooms with a common area and bathroom for each suite. Each bedroom contains a bed, desk, chair, dresser and closet.
You will be provided with bed sheets, blanket, pillow, towels, wash clothe and soap. A linen room will be open if you need more of these items. If desired, you may bring other amenities such as alarm clocks, clothes hangers, radios, fans and additional bath towels.
Coin-operated laundry facilities are available in the basement. A pay phone is available on the first floor.
Parking is available in the lot next to Founders Hall on Boynton St. There is also a parking lot behind Founders Hall off of Dean St.
WPI shall not accept responsibility for theft or loss of money, valuables or personal effects. The Institute is not equipped to secure any valuables which may be brought by participants. Remember, despite our desire to make guests as comfortable as possible, this is a college campus, not a hotel or inn. Residence hall rooms and cars should be kept locked. Participants should exercise normal safety and security precautions at all times.
During the workshop you can be contacted via my work number (508-831-5622), which will ring through to the Computer Science office if I am not there. Outside of regular hours and on weekends, the campus police serve as the switch board for campus functions during the summer. Their number is 508-831-5433.
You will each receive a temporary account on our department machines while you are at the workshop. Access to these accounts and the Internet will be available through a PC lab while you are here.
Gordon Library serves the entire campus. Harrington Gym and Alumni Gym house the campus indoor athletic facilities. Indoor and outdoor running tracks are available. Access to the facilities is dependent on sports camps that occur during the summer. The campus bookstore is in Daniels Hall, although it is in a state of transition this Summer.
There are many attractions in the local Worcester area (as well as New England in general), which you may want to check out before, during or after the workshop. I will highlight a few of these attractions below: