Information for
those
attending
the University of Utah School on Alcoholism and other drug dependencies
provided by Jeff
Baldwin PharmD
Information
will be sent by mail on the specifics of Checking In. There are 2 check in's
one to the Conference and
one to where you are staying. Please read that information, because it
does change year to year.
HOW IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST
For those who are flying in, the SLC airport is west of town and the University is in the northeast part of town. Cab fare will probably be about $25 from the airport to the University; you can prearrange transportation with Xpress Shuttle at 1-800-397-0773 or online at www.expressshuttleutah.com in the past prices were $20; plus $10 for each additional person in the party, (this is subject to change) this is one way. If you are flying, I would suggest making reservations soon to get discount fares and because the flights tend to fill quickly on Friday afternoon after the School closes. I would not suggest trying to catch a flight that leaves SLC before 2:30pm because it takes at least 30 minutes to get to the airport and the School does not close until noon.
If you are arriving after about 2:00pm on Sunday, go to the Olpin Union normally there is no parking fee on Sundays. Registration is open from 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm in the East Panorama room (top floor) at the Union. If you have a car and want to park fairly close to the Union and did not already order a parking permit, you will need to purchase this at check-in (usually $25 for the week). In the past you could park in the engineering parking lot without having to have the permit (East of the Merrill Engineering building on the campus map). If you have not yet checked into your room, you can then get a shuttle in front of the Union that will take you up there from the Union to check in (or you can drive up if you have a car). Plan your arrival so that you can check in at registration and your room and attend the Pharmacy Section Box Lunch reception and orientation which begins at 4:00pm. The Pharmacy Section will meet in the Saltair Room on the entry level of the Union toward the back of the building. There is a shuttle bus down from the dorms to the Union that runs periodically – probably from the Heritage Center; they should have information about that at registration. It is about a mile from the dorm to the Union if you would like to get some exercise, downhill to the Union, uphill to the dorms. SLC is fairly high altitude and a dry climate; you may experience headaches and be short of breath for a day or so and will find yourself drinking quite a bit of water.
The opening session of the Pharmacy Section at 4:00pm will include a box lunch, so you do not need to worry about eating before you arrive (unless you do not like sandwiches). You will be tied up in sessions until about 9pm on Sunday. There are also a lot of restaurants around University St. on the West side of campus (about a 10 minute walk from the Union)
You'll be done by noon on Friday. Please read the information below, which includes information about what to bring.
What to bring:
1. An open mind
2. Pens - You will be given a binder with handouts for the lectures where you can take notes.
3. Receipts and any other information you have received from Utah
4. Cash or checks to pay room, credit and remaining conference fees at registration (reminder: no credit cards accepted for registration or credit fees) and cash for food and incidentals.
5.
Toiletries, medications, a
bath towel, I was asked by some of last year attendees to add that the Toilet
Paper in the dorms is your
typical industrial T.P may want to bring a roll or 2 from home :)
6. Casual clothing: comfortable casual shoes such as athletic shoes (lots of walking!); casual shirts (golf-type knit shirts, casual button shirts, T-shirts - nothing alcohol, drug, or tobacco-related); a few pair of casual slacks and jeans (sometimes the air conditioning is cranked, other times it is very hot in the meetings); shorts (the usual dress is shorts or casual slacks/jeans, knit shirt or t-shirt and athletic shoes or sandals). There is no need to take suitcoats, ties, dress shirts, dress shoes or dresses; dress will be casual at any Salt Lake City restaurants you might go to.
7. Jogging, walking or hiking clothing if desired (there is an organized hike to the top of a hill overlooking the Great Salt Lake near campus for pharmacy section people who want to do this). A water bottle and a small backpack or fanny pack and shoes with good ankle support are highly recommended for this (we have had several students twist ankles). Remember sunscreen, too – you burn faster at high altitude. Also bring a flashlight on the hike – hikers sometimes end up coming down the mountain after dark. There is an inexpensive golf course on campus near the Union.
8. It is probably a good idea to bring a sweatshirt, windbreaker or jacket (you may go up into the mountains and for use on the hike) and a folding umbrella or light rainwear; a camera is a good idea.
9. There are laundry facilities in the dorms and Guest House, but there is not a lot of free time to use them.
10. There is a buffet available in the Heritage Center (level 2) in the Fort Douglas area. You can also purchase individual food items on weekdays in the lower level of the Union (coffee, pop, bagels, fruit, yogurt, cereal, hot breakfast items, lunch) from (as of 2006) 7:30am-2:30pm. There should be a schedule in the packet you pick up at registration listing the specific food service hours for the Heritage Center and Union and also the hours for a convenience store in the Heritage Center. There is also a small convenience store in the Union. We normally eat lunch in the Union (or you can walk about 1/4 mile West to get to some fast food places, such as Subway in the University St area).
THINGS
TO SEE WHILE IN SALT LAKE CITY: You can see the Great Salt Lake from campus;
there is really nothing to do at the
lake,
so
a trip
to the lake is not recommended except perhaps down to the old pavilion on the
South end of the lake which is
West of the SLC
airport. A trip downtown to Temple Square is worthwhile. If you are into
genealogy/family history, the Family
History Library at 35 North
West
Temple Street has the world’s largest collections of such information
available; access for most
records is free. For history buffs, the beehive house near Temple Square is
interesting, as is the "This is the Place" monument in
Emigration Canyon which is about a mile
South of
campus.
Trolley
Square just Southeast of downtown (between 500 and 600 South and 600 and 700
East) has theatres, restaurants and
shops. There is a very inexpensive spaghetti place on the 2nd level
near the West end
of the building.
Rice Stadium on campus was
the site
of the opening and closing 2002 Winter Olympic ceremonies. The Olympic
figure skating arena and the Olympic Square were on
the West
side of downtown; this area is now
an
upscale shopping/restaurant area.
