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Living in Chicago

Institute Administrative Office

The Institute's administrative office (Office of External Education) is also located in the same building as the Institute classroom:

Office of External Education (MC 140)
University of Illinois at Chicago
1333 South Halsted Street
Suite 205
Chicago, IL 60607-5019
Phone: (312) 355-0423
Fax: (312) 413-9730
Hours: 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., Monday - Friday

Institute Lounge

A private lounge on one of the floors of your residence will be reserved for the exclusive use of the participants of the Study of the U.S. Institute. Upon registration, you will be issued a key for the lounge. The door will remain locked at all times and you will need to use your key to gain entry. Should you lose this key, you will be responsible for the cost of replacing it.

A television and video cassette player have been placed in the lounge for your use. Television sets or radios are not provided in your apartments. There is also a TV room located on the first floor in the lobby of your residence hall. At times during the Institute, you will be assigned specific movies to view on video cassette or DVD. This may be done at your leisure in the lounge either in small groups or individually. Additional kitchen items for your use will also be stored in the lounge.

Housing

During your four-week stay in Chicago, you will be living at the following UIC residence hall:

Thomas Beckham Hall (MC 112)
1250 S. Halsted St.
Chicago, Illinois 60607
Main Desk Phone: (312) 355-6100

You will be assigned a private bedroom in a two-bedroom apartment. Each two-bedroom apartment has one private bathroom. Each apartment also has a common living room and a fully-equipped kitchen containing an electric stove, microwave oven, refrigerator, and kitchen supplies (dishes, utensils, pots and pans, etc.). You will be responsible for supplying your own food and cleaning supplies. For a list of nearby grocery stores, go to the Where to Eat section or ask a SUSI staff member.

You will be provided with a linen packet, which includes one blanket, pillow, pillowcase, sheets, towels and a washcloth. You will be responsible for laundering your own linens during your four-week stay. A coin-operated laundry room is located on the first floor of the residence hall. You must leave the linen packet in your room when you check out, or you will be charged for any missing linens.

If you are bringing electrical appliances such as a hair dryer, alarm clock, etc., the standard electrical power system in the U.S. is based on 60 cycles, 110 volts, alternating current. (We will have an iron and ironing board set up in the lounge for shared use.)

Mail

Mailing Address

While in residence at UIC, mail should be addressed to you in the following manner:
[Your Name]
SUSI 2005
c/o Office of External Education (MC 140)
University of Illinois at Chicago
1333 South Halsted Street
Suite 205
Chicago, IL 60607-5019

Try to arrange that you receive all mail by July 14, since you will depart for the tour on Friday, July 15, at approximately 10:00 A.M. and will not be returning to UIC. Since we will be traveling a great deal during the tour, it is not recommended that you have mail sent to any of the hotels listed on our itinerary. Most hotels will not accept mail for individuals who are not currently registered. Fax and telephone numbers will be provided. Should mail for you arrive after your departure, we will forward it to your home.

Incoming Mail

Personal mail is delivered to the housing desk daily. You may collect your mail after 4:00 P.M.

Outgoing Mail

Letters and parcels may be posted from the main post office located at 433 West Harrison. Please ask the staff for directions. Our administrative offices (see above mailing address) will be able to assist you in mailing letters only. You may come to our offices between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Fax Transmittals

International faxes may be shipped from the Institute office. The cost is $3.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each consecutive page. You may come to the Institute's administrative office at the Office of External Education (see above address). We'll try to bring faxes that have been received at the office to the morning sessions. The office fax number is (312) 413-9730. Please make sure that each fax sent to you has SUSI and your name clearly marked on the cover sheet or the first page.

E-Mail

You will each be assigned a UIC email account at the first Internet and email session. You will be able to use computers in the computer center in the residence hall and in the library. You will need your university identification card to use these facilities. Our staff will assist you with obtaining these ID cards on your first Monday at the Institute.

Telephone

Important Phone Numbers

· Housing Desk: (312) 355-6100
After 11:00 PM, dial '0', then ask the operator to page the on-duty resident assistant (emergencies only, please)

· UIC Police: 996-2830 (Non-Emergency)
996-4357 (or 6-"H-E-L-P") (Emergency)

· Fire: 996-3473 (or 6-"F-I-R-E") - pull nearest alarm box

· CREDIT UNION: (312) 355-2224

Telephone Instructions

The telephone system in the United States is different from that used in most of your countries. In addition, the phone system utilized by the University is unique. To help you navigate through the maze of trying to communicate via the telephone, below are instructions you will need to follow. Please, do not hesitate to ask any of the staff for assistance. This may be the most challenging aspect of your stay in the U.S. If you can conquer UIC's phone system, you can master anything else you encounter. An authorization code is assigned to you for local calls and will be in your room next to your phone. You can receive unlimited phone calls in your room at no charge, so it may work best to have your family call you. There is no charge for local calls you make. However, you will incur a charge for long distance calls you make. It is best to use a pre-paid telephone card. We will provide you with a pre-paid telephone card with a $10 value on your day of arrival. You may purchase additional cards at most any supermarket or drugstore.

Where to Purchase Additional Pre-Paid Telephone Cards

· UIC Bookstore
Chicago Circle Center
Phone: (312) 413-5500

· Dominick's Grocery Store
1340 S. Canal Street
Phone: (312) 850-3915

· Walgreen's
111 S. Halsted St. (Halsted and Monroe)
Phone: (312) 463-9139

Making Calls on Campus

Enter the last five digits of the number. For example, if the campus number you are calling is 413-7348, you would dial only 3-7348.

Making Calls to 312, 773, 847 & 708 Area Codes form Your Room

Enter 8+SIX DIGIT LINK CODE + FOUR DIGIT PIN + # + 9, you will hear a dial tone
312 AREA CODE: Enter THE LAST SEVEN DIGITS OF THE NUMBER;
773 AREA CODE: Enter 1+773+SEVEN DIGIT NUMBER;
708 AREA CODE: Enter 1+708+SEVEN DIGIT NUMBER;
847 AREA CODE: Enter 1+847+SEVEN DIGIT NUMBER.

Making Long Distance or International Calls from a Pay Phone

If you don't insist on the privacy of calling from your own room, making a call from a public pay phone is much easier. The easiest way is to use a pre-paid telephone card - you won't need the university access code.

· Using Pre-Paid Telephone Cards
1. Enter 1+800+SEVEN DIGIT NUMBER ON CARD
2. Enter CARD TEN DIGIT NUMBER
3. FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS ON CARD

· Using Coins
1. Enter: 1+AREA CODE+NUMBER or 011+COUNTRY CODE+NUMBER
2. INSERT CORRECT AMOUNT OF CURRENCY

Note: Be sure to shop around for the best value on phone cards, as not all cards offer the same rates- some may give you more time for less money. Also check very carefully that the card you buy can be used to call your home country - not all pre-paid phone cards may be used for international calls. Please be certain before you purchase the card. Shop for the least expensive card.

Libraries

With your UIC ID card you will have full access to the University libraries. You may visit their Web site found at http://www.uic.edu/depts/lib/

Richard J. Daley Library
801 South Morgan Street
Phone: 6-2726

Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30 AM - 7:00 PM
  Saturday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  Sunday Closed

The west door of the Main Library closes at 5:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; after 5:30 p.m. Entrance/exit through east door only; persons entering Main Library at that time must show picture ID to door attendant or sign in.

The Video Library located at the reserve desk in the Daley Library which offers a wide collection of VHS tapes which can be viewed on the VCR in the lounge. Overnight checkouts are available Monday through Thursday; Friday checkouts are due Monday morning. Late charges are excessive and strictly enforced, so be sure to return items promptly.


 
Copyright 2005, University of Illinois at Chicago