Accepted Applicants and Invitees: If you did not complete the pre-seminar registration form in May, your space is not reserved. Please contact seminars@theihs.org if you have not received your pre-seminar emails.
Congratulations on your acceptance to the Poverty & Prosperity IHS seminar! You are in for a remarkable experience - meeting new people, discussing new ideas, thinking hard and having fun. We've arranged this set of frequently asked questions to help you prepare for the seminar. Please
print off a copy for yourself to bring along as you travel, so that you have all the relevant information on hand.
Table of Contents
What should I expect?
o You will be spending the week with 60-70 participants interested in challenging their beliefs about the ideas of liberty. Like you, they desire an environment of open inquiry and intense learning.
o Lectures begin following breakfast every morning and the spirited dialogue continues throughout the day.
o An average of five faculty members will present on the set topics and are more than happy to engage participants outside of the set lecture period.
o The seminar environment is designed to encourage open interaction between students and faculty with shared meals and social hours.
o To become acquainted with new ideas and dig deeper into those which are more familiar.
o You will receive three or four free books while you are at the seminar. Make sure to leave room in your suitcase to take these home!
What policies am I expected to follow?
o All attendees of this seminar are expected to conduct themselves responsibly and respectfully towards their fellow participants, staff, faculty, and our host facility.
o Attendance is expected at all sessions, including discussion groups and meals.
o All participants, including those from the local area, must stay at the University of California, Berkeley Campus throughout the week. For the purposes of this seminar, no exceptions can be made to this policy.
o Also remember that participants in the seminar are subject to the policies of the university hosting the seminar (i.e. no underage drinking, drug use, etc.).
o Also remember that participants in the seminar must abide by the rules of IHS and the host university. Violation of IHS guidelines, host university rules, or the law may be considered grounds for dismissal from the seminar at the discretion of IHS.
When should I arrive and when can I plan to leave?
o Check in will be on the Clark Kerr Campus (2601 Warring St., Berkeley, CA 94720) between 1-2:45 pm on Saturday the 1st.
o For a map of campus and parking facilities see Appendix B. Parking is $14/day and will need to be arranged through the seminar assistant in advance.
o The seminar ends on the morning of Friday the 7th following breakfast.
Where am I staying?
o You will stay in a double occupancy dorm room on the Berkeley campus.
o Meals are cafeteria-style and include vegetarian options. If you have other requirements, please request special consideration in advance.
What facilities will be available to me on campus?
o The cost of gym access is $25/week or $10/day and must be arranged in advance through the seminar assistant.
o There will be a print/email station set up in Building 1 of the Clark Kerr campus. It will be right across the way from the front desk, and it will be open during front desk hours, 7am - 11pm daily. It is free of charge.
o The Ethernet connections in the residence hall are wired; in the main meeting room (the Garden Room) it is wireless. There is no charge for internet access at all,but a log in and password will be required. The seminar assistant will anounce this at the seminar.
o Laundry facilities will be available, but students will need to bring their own change as the front desk does not handle cash..
What should I pack?
o This "hotel" lacks a wake-up service - bring your own alarm clock.
o Be sure to bring along some pocket money. On Tuesday afternoon and evening there are no scheduled sessions or dinner. You will be able to explore Berkeley and its attractions, visit friends in the area, or relax on campus.
o Berkeley does not provide toiletries. Please bring your own.
o Dress is casual. Weather can range from hot (90º F and humid) during the day to cool (60º F) in the evenings. Rain at some point is likely. Bring something warm if AC in the classroom will bother you.
o If you like to play ultimate frisbee or soccer, bring athletic clothing. Seminar participants often make use of their afternoon break to get a little exercise.
What can I do with my day off?
o Berkeley is located around 20 minutes north of San Francisco, which has many restaurants, parks, museums and other attractions which may be of interest to students on their day off. Some highlights include the famous Golden Gate Bridge, a visit to the Aquarium of the Bay or enjoy the street performers at Pier 39. For a more detailed list of attractions and museums in San Francisco, please see the following link.
How do I get there?
o Please remember to take into account the check in time and starting time of the first session when booking your travel plans. Also consider possible traffic delays, transfer time, and other potential hindrances when you estimate your travel time. You want to arrive in time to check in and unwind prior to the seminar.
o We do not recommend booking your flight through Hotwire or similar discount airfare websites, as they usually do not specify a flight time and there is a possibility that you will be late to the conference.
o The city of Berkeley, California is served by the Oakland International Airport and San Francisco International Airport. See Appendix A for more detailed information.
o Berkeley is also accessible by bus through the Greyhound Bus line via San Francisco and by train through Amtrak directly to the city of Berkeley.
o For more specific directions on transport to and from Berkeley (including driving directions from points North, South, East and West) see the travel information in Appendix A.
Appendix A
Airports
o Oakland International Airport is 25 minutes from the Berkeley campus by car or taxi. It is is serviced by most major airlines. For driving directions from Oakland to Berkeley see Google Maps.
o San Francisco International Airport is 30 minutes from the Berkeley campus by car or taxi. It is is serviced by most major airlines. For driving directions from SFI to Berkeley see Google Maps.
Driving Directions
From San Francisco, the San Francisco airport, and points south on northbound Highway 101:
Follow U.S. 101 north and then switch to I-80 east, and take it across the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge. Stay left as you get off the Bay Bridge and take I-80 east heading to Berkeley & Sacramento. Exit I-80 onto University Avenue.
Continue east on University Avenue for approximately 1.5 miles to Oxford Street at the western edge of the campus.
From Oakland, the Oakland airport, Hayward or San Jose on northbound I-880:
Stay in left center lanes on I-880 when you reach downtown Oakland. Exit I-80 east (to Berkeley). Exit I-80 at University Avenue. Continue east on University Avenue for approximately 1.5 miles to Oxford Street.
From the East Bay on eastbound Highway 24:
From Highway 24 exit at Telegraph Ave. and take a right on Telegraph. Continue on Telegraph until it ends at the southside of campus on Bancroft. Make a left on Bancroft.
Make a right on Fulton, which will become Oxford Street in two blocks. Continue on Oxford to University.
From the East Bay on northbound Highway 13:
Highway 13 ends and becomes Tunnel Road. Continue on Tunnel Road. Tunnel Road becomes Ashby Avenue near the Claremont Hotel. Continue on Ashby. Turn right at Shattuck Avenue. Turn right at University Avenue and continue east one block to Oxford Street and the western edge of the campus.
From the East Bay on I-80 bound either east or west:
Exit University Avenue. Continue east on University Avenue for approximately 1.5 miles to Oxford Street.
From the East Bay on westbound I-580:
Exit I-80 East (to Berkeley & Sacramento). Exit at University Avenue. Continue east on University Avenue for approximately 1.5 miles to Oxford Street.
Public Transit Information
o For information about public train transportation in San Francisco and the surrounding area see the Bay Area Rapid Transit website.
o For trolley and public bus transit see the San Francisco Municipal Transportation
Appendix B
o Campus Map & Parking Information
o Clark Kerr Campus Overview Map
o Clark Kerr Campus Map