Ithaca College
We will stay in standard dorms, single or double occupancy within easy walking distance of the cafeteria and conference rooms. A pillow, pillowcase, sheets, blanket, two towels and a wash cloth are provided to each occupant. Towels and washcloths will be refreshed once during the week. Fitness center and outdoor pool access comes with your stay. Children under 6 can stay with parents at no cost, but parents must provide a sleeping bag or air mattress.

Dorms rates: Single Occupancy—$37/person, Double Occupancy—$32/person. There are a few options for Internet access: Attendees can pay $50 for a username and password for access in their residence hall rooms (see Internet Access). While Ithaca College dorms are not air-conditioned, the campus sits atop a hill, often catching wonderful breezes from Cayuga Lake. If you are driving, you may wish to provide a fan for your room. Like many parts of the country, Ithaca weather is unpredictable, so come prepared for heat, chill, rain and sun.

Alternative Accommodations
The Holiday Inn: If you are looking to stay off campus and have not made reservations yet, 10 non-smoking rooms containing two queen size beds are set aside under the "Guild of Natural Science Illustrators" at The Holiday Inn, 222 S. Cayuga St, Ithaca, NY  14850. The Holiday Inn is located in downtown Ithaca a block from the bus route, within walking distance to many restaurants, shops and art galleries, and a 1.75 mile drive to Ithaca College: $119.99 plus tax/night. Reservations must be made by June 19. You must contact them directly: 607-272-1000.

The Super 8 Motel: Also, at the Super 8 Motel, 400 South Meadow St, Ithaca, NY, 14850, 10 non-smoking rooms containing two double beds, a fridge and microwave are set aside under the "Guild of Natural Science Illustrators". Five rooms are located on the ground floor; 5 are on the 2nd floor. There is no elevator, so you need to specify which floor you want (until that block fills). Complimentary continental breakfast and fitness room; off of Rt. 13, a short drive to Ithaca College. Rates are as follows: Sunday-Thursday, $92.99/night, Friday and Saturday, $119.99/night. Reservations must be made by June 19. Call directly to make reservations: 607-273-8088.

Bed & Breakfasts & Beyond: There are many other hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts in Ithaca and the surrounding area. It is a very popular summer vacation spot, and accommodations fill up quickly. You can contact the Ithaca/Tompkins County Convention & Visitors Bureau at (800) 284-8422 or http://www.visitithaca.com to get some help, or if you are wondering about a particular bed and breakfast check out http://www.bbithaca.com and http://www.stayfingerlakes.com/ithaca.php. The Coddington Guest House http://www.thecoddington.com is a short walk to IC. This Web site and the May newsletter will list alternatives and any group rates we are able to arrange.

New York State Parks: Ithaca College is just 3 miles from the State Park of Buttermilk Falls State Park. Other state parks are a short bus or car ride away, and most parks have cabins as well as tent sites. Summer dates fill quickly, and reservations can be made now. Buttermilk Falls State Park, being the closest to Ithaca College, is probably the best option for anyone wishing to make it a camping/cabin trip. Visit online at http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks for more state park information. New York State Parks camping cabin reservations can be made by calling 1-800-456-2267. The direct line to Buttermilk Falls State Park and Robert H Treman State Park  is 607-273-3440. Taughannock Falls State Park can be contacted on 607-387-6739.

Parking
Parking is free at I.C. but requires either a daily or weekly tag.

When You Arrive
On Sunday, between 9 am – 6 pm, please come directly to the lobby of Park Hall (Roy H. Parks School of Communications) to register. Hopefully the signs will be easy to follow! Once registered for the conference, you will then be sent to the Housing Office in Eastman Hall to pick up the keys to your dorm and room. If you arrive after 6 pm until 9 pm, please go directly to the Housing Office if you will be staying on campus. 

Board members will check in on Saturday at the Housing Office. Anyone who needs to check in on the 19th because of special travel arrangements, or later than 9 pm, please contact Lucy at lfg1@cornell.edu or 607-539-6313 after 7 pm EST. The Housing office is open 9am – 9 pm every day.  Check out is by 12 noon. The Sunday evening reception/portfolio review will be held in the Campus Center from 7 – 9 pm.

Campus Maps
ATMS are located in Ithaca College's Campus Center. The post office and bookstore are in Phillips Hall Annex. Campus maps will be included in your registration packet, and in the May newsletter. In the meantime, here is a direct link to IC's campus map, to include safety and accessibility: http://www.ithaca.edu/map. Also learn more about Ithaca College from the "About IC" link on the home page. For Cornell University's campus map: http://www.cornell.edu/maps

Meal Plans: Ithaca College Cafeteria
There are two meal plans to choose from:
Option 1: Breakfast Mon., Tues., & Wed; Lunch Mon. & Tues; Dinner Mon. for $53.40.
Option 2: Breakfast Mon.-Sat.; Lunch Mon. & Tues; Dinner Mon. for $73.50.
Wed. lunch will be available at the business meeting and is part of your conference fee. Dinner on Sunday will be on your own. Box lunches are available for a fee for offsite trips. See the Registration form for details.

Cafeteria
The cafeteria is located in the Campus Center. Choosing the meal plan really helps the IC cafeteria staff plan for enough meals. The meal plan includes dinner on campus Monday since we will be heading over to Cornell University that evening for the art exhibit reception, and we will need extra time for transportation. Tuesday evening dinner is on your own—see below for options. During the two days of workshops and field trips only breakfast is offered since some of us will be off campus for the day. Wednesday lunch during the core conference will be served during the business meeting and is covered by your registration fee.

Meal Plan Alternatives
IC Square, located in the Campus Center, serves breakfast and lunch fast food and beverages (hours 7:30 am–2:30 pm Monday-Friday) and the IC Café (same building, with the same hours as IC Square) serves beverages and snacks. Meals can be purchased individually at the cafeteria, but they cannot guarantee there will be enough food. Breakfast: $6.80 Lunch: $10.65 Dinner: $13.75.

Within ½ mile walking distance (about 15 minutes) is a pizza/sub shop and a full-service restaurant. The local bus runs every ½ hour downtown (10 min drive) where there are plenty of restaurants. Pizza delivery is allowed to your dorm rooms. Contact Lucy at lfg1@cornell.edu or (607) 539-6313 with housing and meal questions.

Area Restaurants: When you receive your registration package upon arrival, there will be information included about area restaurants. In addition, on Visit Ithaca's Web site, there is a really cool search tool for looking up a wide variety of restaurants in the region by cuisine and community location. Check it out: http://www.visitithaca.com/dining/dining.cfm

Bus Service: Our local bus company, TCAT, charges $1.50/ride. The #11 bus runs from IC to downtown every half hour. The bus stop is at Park Hall and drops you off at Green Street near the Tompkins County Library. Pick up the bus here to get back to campus. Bus schedules will be available at check-in. More at http://www.tcatbus.com or (607) 277-7433.

Mail
The more information on the envelope, the faster it will reach you. For guests staying at a Residence Hall, mail should be addressed as follows:

Conferee Name
Ithaca College
Guild of Natural Science Illustrators
GNSI Conference 7/20-7/26, 2008
c/o Conference and Event Services
201 Egbert Hall
Ithaca, NY 14850-7071

Internet Access
Computer stations designated for Internet access are available in the Library (Gannett Center), at kiosks in the Campus Center, and other areas around campus. Library Summer hours are Mon—Thurs, 7:30 am–10 pm, Friday, 7:30 am–5 pm, Sat, 10 am–6 pm, Sun, 12–8 pm. Campus Center hours are Monday—Friday, 7 am–10 pm, Sat, 8 am–10 pm and Sun, 10 am–10 pm. Internet access from your personal laptop in the residence halls requires an Apogee account and an Ethernet cable. The account is $50 for the week and Ithaca College must have your name at least one week in advance to activate your account. Sign up on the registration form.

Wireless access to Internet with your laptop is free in designated areas but requires signing up for a GuestNet account. This includes someone who wants to access the Internet from their own laptop for a classroom presentation and will connect to the cable in the classroom, or someone who wants to access the Internet from the wireless areas on campus (Campus Center, CHS, Park, etc). Your name is all that is needed at this time. You can provide the MAC address when you arrive on campus.

Please Note: As long as you've let us know your plans to get online in advance on your registration form, at the registration table you will be given your usernames and passwords. Once you log in to the GuestNet registration page (with the given username and password) you will be prompted to enter your MAC address. If you don't know how to find your MAC address, a link with instructions is right there for you to click on.

Copy Machines
You can find coin operated B&W copy machines in the library: 10 cents/copy.

ATMS
ATMS are located in the Campus Center. The post office and bookstore are in Phillips Hall Annex.