Athenaeum
x7780
ath@its
www.its.caltech.edu/~ath/
The Athenauem is Caltech's faculty club, where professors mingle with rich benefactors in private luxury, and the bad boys of physics kick in television sets. It's the building at the east end of the Olive Walk with the open-air dining room and the "Members Only" sign. Undergraduates are not eligible for membership, but are still likely to visit the Ath at least once before they leave Caltech.
Professors often take ombudsmen or other committee members to eat lunch at the Ath. Nate Lewis invites frosh from Chem 1 to dine with him there and tell him how much fun his course is. Undergraduates can also become Athenaeum waiters - although, because of a tradition whose origins are lost in the mists of time, almost all of them are from Fleming. (If you're not, don't let it discourage you.) If you're interested in free gourmet meals, decent pay, and lots of potential job contacts, ask a Flem for more information, or call Hugo Silva (778.364) or Charles L'Episcopo (x8313, charlesl@its) at the Ath.
The Athenaeum, like all respectable Clubs of the older sort, has a few rooms in which members may stay overnight. If your parents would like to imbibe the hallowed air of a room Einstein may have stayed in, talk to someone at the front desk. It's not terribly expensive - single $65/night, double $75/night, West Suites (Einstein & Millikan Suites, which include a balcony): $120/night, East Suites:$95/night. You will need a member to sponsor you - ask the DRL or your RA's.
The Ath is frequently rented out for weddings and parties, and is always the scene of a few movie and television shoots each year. During the past two years, several commercials have been filmed at the Ath: for Sprint, M&Ms (Easter 97), Acura Sports-Utility Vehicles, Dell Computers and Hallmark Cards. Feature films of late include "Kiss the Girls," "The X-Files Movie," and "Town & Country." A CBS movie, "Cab to Canada," starring Maureen O'Hara, was shot at the Ath this summer. Last spring, Arnold Schwarzenegger was photographed in the Ath's Main Lounge for Vanity Fair (June '97).
Athletic Facilities
The Scott Brown Gymnasium and Braun Athletic Center are located at the south end of campus across California Blvd. The Scott Brown Gymnasium has one regulation glass-backboard basketball court which is normally set up as two wooden-board courts. Volleyball, badminton, gymnastics, and martial arts classes are also conducted there. At the east end of the building is the Caltech Climbing Wall, a small, wooden cavern filled with mats and enough holds (fake rocks) and strange angles to challenge even seasoned rock climbers. You can get a key to the Climbing Wall at the front desk of Brown.
The Braun Athletic Center overshadows the smaller and older Brown. It contains a full-sized gym available for volleyball, basketball, badminton or other activities. Two international sized squash courts, and four racquetball courts (which may soon be fitted for wallyball) provide new recreational opportunities. The center also features a 3,000-square foot dance/aerobics room, a 4,000-square foot weight room with new equipment, and a 1,500-square foot cardiovascular fitness area, complete with stair climbing, lifecycles, and rowing equipment. Bring your ID, as they may send you home if you don't.
Between the old and new buildings are two swimming pools with diving boards. One pool is deep enough for regulation water-polo and three-meter diving. Both are open every day during the year, heated in the winter, and available for family use during the summer for a fee. South of the gym is an all-weather track enclosing a football field. To the north are soccer and baseball fields. Along the driveway across from the soccer fields are eight all-weather tennis courts, six of which are lit at night. All of these are available for use during the school year on a first-come, first-served basis, except when classes or teams are using them. You can get a locker for the year by signing up at the gym on registration day of first term. They are assigned, first-come, first-served, starting at 9:00 a.m.
Audio / Visual Department
Located at 320 S. Michigan, Audio/Visual provides faculty, students, and staff with audio-visual equipment and professional services for classroom activities, lectures, seminars, and special projects. Services offered include equipment rentals, repairs, and operating technicians. Discounts are available for students and for one hour lectures. Weekly rates are also available. The Audio/Visual Office certifiably has the lowest student rates on equipment rentals in the galaxy, and they are even sort of friendly. Call them at x4657 for services, advice, or a comprehensive brochure on available equipment and rates.
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Audio/Visual Equipment Prices | |
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16mm Movie Projector $12 Opaque Projector $13 50"x50" Screen $6 96"x96" Screen $12 Amplifier-Stereo $19 Speaker $10 Microphone Mixer-4 channel $10 Equalizer $10 Reel to Reel Tape Deck-Stereo $10 |
Casette Recorder-Stereo $12 10" Color Monitor $12 27" Color Monitor $25 Panasonic Camcorder (VHS) $23 VHS Recorder $15 Laser Pointer $12 16mm/8mm Editor/Viewer $6 Floodlights & Spotlights $4 Light Dimmer $4 |
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Prices are per day for Undergraduates | |
Caltech Bookstore
x6161
Winnett
citbook@caltech.edu
www.caltech.edu/~cabs/bookstore/
Caltech's newly-renovated Bookstore is open 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with extended hours during the first week of the term. With its larger facilities, the Bookstore plans to pick up computer sales from the organization formerly known as CCO, and expand its selection of technical manuals. They'll also continue to sell books, office supplies, magazines, posters, snacks, greeting cards, toiletries (at outrageous prices), and the usual college paraphenalia (which is great for frosh Christmas shopping, especially if your parents cover your "book" bill). You can charge bookstore stuff to your student account with your ID card. This is especially useful at the beginning of a term, when you may find yourself shelling out $200 or more for textbooks. The bookstore also offers check cashing with your Caltech ID, for checks up to $50 above the purchase price.
The Bookstore is packed at the beginning of each term, when students rush to get the limited supply of used books they carry. Joining the crowd may be a good idea - the Bookstore often runs out of books in popular courses, leaving you to wait for the next shipment of books or try to find the book on your own. If this happens to you, try ordering the book from www.opampbooks.com (which specializes in technical books) or www.amazon.com (which carries practically everything). You could also try the Y's used book exchange.
See the Pasadena Services section for information about Pasadena bookstores.
Career Development Center
x6361
career@its
www.its.caltech.edu/~career/
Caltech's Career Development Center is located in 08 Parsons-Gates (downstairs) and is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This invaluable office helps students find both summer and permanent employment. The CDC also posts internships, tutoring jobs, work-study jobs, and volunteer opportunities. It maintains a library of information on employers, employment opportunities (on- and off-campus), and graduate schools. Recruiters from industry usually come to Tech first and second terms to interview students. The CDC will help you set up an interview. Watch for notices in the California Tech.
The CDC assists students with job search strategies, résumé writing, interviewing techniques, and salary negotiations. The people at the CDC also offer students counseling on a wide variety of career-related dilemmas (e.g. "How do you deal with being asked to design deadly crib-seeking missiles?"). Seminars on these and other topics are scheduled regularly. They also offer a package of vocational tests, and they're the only place on campus where you can get professional advice on what you might want to do with the rest of your life.
If you want to see a career counselor about any of these things, it's a good idea to make an appointment - just call x6361. During the regular school year, they will also see people on a walk-in basis if the office isn't too busy.
The Career Development Center is headed by Sally Asmundson, who doubles as Caltech's pre-med adviser.
Computer Labs
Whether you're lusting after a Mac for desktop publishing, a Windows machine for games, or a UNIX box for tinkering, Caltech can fulfill your desires. The labs are also a good place to look at the little t web page, http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~littlet/, which has all the text of the little t, plus a bunch of stuff we couldn't fit in the book.
ITS Student Lab 214 Steele
The ITS (Information Technology Services) student lab is open to professors, grad students, and undergrads, so it's often packed. You can avoid the crowd by getting a key from the ITS business office in 014 Steele and using the lab at odd hours. (It's never busy at 4 a.m.)
If you want the power of UNIX, the lab has ten networked Sun SPARCstations and four Sun Ultras. Suns are great for network-based operations because they perform well under a heavy load, though they tend to be slow. All undergraduates have accounts on these machines. You can check your e-mail by logging into the suns at the keyboard or by using telnet from another machine. The main servers are accord, morocco, piccolo, and stucco. You may note that all these names contain the substring "cco" - that's what ITS used to be called.
You'll find PowerMacs here, too. If you want to do graphics or desktop publishing work, these machines are ideal. They've got Photoshop, PageMaker, and other graphics software. Many of them have Zip drives. Some of them even have scanners.
The lab also has some Pentium II and Pentium Pro PC-compatibles. These are mainly useful for playing games, using spreadsheets, and writing hum papers. Some of the PCs also have scanners.
There are a total of 6 printers (color and black/white), 6 scanners, and 2 CD writers, and about 3 machines with tape drives. One color printer may be found in the SAC, in Fleming's computer lab.
Undergraduate Computer Science Lab 166 Jorgensen
http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu
The UGCS lab, which is entirely student-run, got a new look a couple years ago when they covered the walls with old circuitboards. UGCS is a world of its own. Some students get sucked in and become members of "UGCS House" - they emerge from the lab only to eat. The lab has Hewlett-Packard 9000 series 700 and 715 workstations and Silicon Graphics Indy workstations. Students in CS1, CS2, CS3, and CS174 have priority in the lab, but anyone can get an account. (If the sysadmins like you, you may even be able to get one for your cat.) If you want an account, fill out one of the forms to the left of the door. The SGIs are named after phobias, the slower HPUX systems are named after blender speeds, and the faster HPUX systems are named after the seven deadly sins - useful for knowing what type of machine you've just logged onto. If you take the CS1/2/3 series, you'll spend a lot of time in UGCS.
VLSI/Stun Lab Jorgensen 154
The VLSI lab, run by the CS department, is mainly used in programming courses. It has about a dozen Pentiums running BSD, and is networked with the ancient STUN lab. If you're enrolled in CS20 or higher, you can get an account here.
Multiprocessing Lab Jorgensen 156
This lab, which is also run by the CS department, has 2- and 4-processor Pentium machines running Windows NT. They're some of the fastest machines on campus, but unfortunately the lab wasn't well-run last year. You need to be enrolled in a multithreaded programming course to get an account here.
Sherman-Fairchild Library
Caltech's newest, high-tech library is fully outfitted with a large number of PC-compatible computers. They're great for writing research papers or surfing the web. You can also use them to check your mail during a long study session. Tucked away on the third floor is the popular Digital Media Center with dedicated workstations for everything from web development to digital video to rendering and animation. It also provides specialized input and output tools, including devices for high-quality slide and flatbed scanning, photographic-quality print output, capturing from and recording to videotape, and recording to compact disc.
Student House Computer Labs
Each student House has its own computer room (or two) with PCs, Macs, a Sun SPARCstation, a laser printer, and so on. The operating system installed on the PCs depends on the House - it may be Linux, DOS/Windows, or Windows NT. Fleming's lab in the SAC has one of ITS's color printers - if you want to use it, just ask a Flem for the room combination. Each House has an ITS rep who is responsible for keeping the House's computers running, software properly installed, and printers happy. They can help you set up your computer, and they also act as your liason to ITS. Contact your House ITS rep to find out more about your House's computing resources.
Your Room
If you own a computer, you can minimize your exercise by connecting to the network from the comfort of your own room. ITS provides "one port per pillow," so every on-campus room and every Avery room has a speedy Ethernet connection to the network (two connections in doubles). You'll need a standard 10BASE-T card and a short 10BASE-T line. If you need help, talk to your ITS representative or the nearest computer geek.
Copiers
There are several copiers available for student use: the ASCIT copier in SAC 37, the copiers in Millikan and Sherman-Fairchild Libraries, and the Y copier.
Counseling Center
x8331
www.caltech.edu/~counseling
Caltech students can get free psychological counseling through the Caltech Student Counseling Center. The counselors help with a wide range of problems: coping with stress, difficulties with advisors, homesickness, relationship problems, loneliness, depression, trouble with parents, and more. It's confidential, too: your counselor will not discuss your problems with anyone outside the counseling staff without your written permission.
The counselors stress that most of the people they see face the same problems as the rest of Caltech students, and are not sick or disturbed.
The Caltech Student Counseling Center is located in the south wing of the Student Health Center (south of California Boulevard, west of the tennis courts) and is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Just call to make an appointment. If you feel that your problem is urgent, you will be seen the same day; otherwise, you will be seen in the next few days. In case of psychological emergency after hours, you may call campus security at x4701, and have them page the psychologist on call.
x6351
deans@caltech
www.caltech.edu/~deans/
The Deans' Office, which stares you in the face as you walk up the stairs to the first floor of Parsons-Gates, should be able to solve most of your problems at Caltech, or at least tell you where to turn.
The current Dean is Jean-Paul Revel. He's a wacky guy, and he enjoys having students come by to chat, even when they don't have problems to discuss. Take him up on this and stop by for conversation. If you're lucky, maybe he'll show you his watercolors.
The Associate Dean is Barbara Green. Many students have found Dr. Green to be an especially helpful advocate in times of crisis.
If you need help or advice with most things academic (not your homework), if you need someone to sign your drop card and your advisor was last seen departing for the Seychelles, or if you just need someone to talk to, talk to the Deans. They also handle personal concerns and issues like sexual harrassment, discrimination, and assault.
Visit the Deans if you're interested in taking classes at the prestigious Art Center College of Design or at Occidental - Caltech has little-known exchange programs with these colleges that let you take classes there for free.
For many years, Caltech had given the job of feeding the starving undergrad over to outside companies to cater to the students or run the kitchen. In the past, our food has been provided by TFM (Total Food Management). Under the Campus Auxiliary and Business Services empire, Caltech Dining Services has been created to serve the catering and food service needs of the Caltech Community. Directing the operation is Chef Andre Mallie, a world class chef trained in both France and the US.
If you have any complaints about the food or the way it is served, talk with your house's food rep (for a list of reps, see the Student Activities section), or the chairman of the food committee. If that proves ineffective, you can speak to Andre or your kitchen's head chef directly. The CDS office is located in the loading dock between the housing office and Chandler Dining Hall.
x6194
reslife@its
www.its.caltech.edu/~reslife/
The current Master of Student Houses (MOSH) is Steven Frautschi. The MOSH used to be a kind of father figure to the students. In charge of student housing, he would oversee rotation and help solve any problems the houses had over the year. Times have changed, though, and he now is primarily responsible for encouraging student-faculty interaction. He holds student-faculty dinners at Steele House, and provides funding for events which encourage students and faculty to mingle.
Most of the MOSH's old job has been transferred to the Director of Residence Life (DRL), Kim West. She gets all the nasty issues no one else will touch: overseeing Rotation, dealing with problems between the Pasadena Fire Department and the Houses, helping resolve conflicts between roommates, and so on. She lives close to campus, and will sometimes be seen here at strange hours of the night.
The Residence Life office hires RA's, organizes Finals Support Kits, sponsors the Check Out LA program (which pays for undergraduates to see speakers in the LA area), runs the off-campus and Avery housing lotteries, and provides money for House events. Residence Life also administers the Don Shephard Fun Fund and the Don Shephard Essay Contest. Fun Fund money, which is awarded by lottery, may be used for a nice dinner or a cultural event. The annual Don Shepard Essay Contest awards several students funding for a program of self-enrichment outside of science.
The Residence Life office is temporarily sharing space with the Caltech Y in Steele House, the traditional home of the MOSH. (They'll be moving to Keck in January 2000.) You might run into Sue Chiarchiaro, the Assistant to the DRL, or Susan Friedman, the Assistant Director, there. Residence Life is a little out of the way, but they like having students stop by. They even offer students free candy for visiting.
Fellowships
x2150
lstolper@caltech.edu
www.its.caltech.edu/~felships/
The Fellowships office, located in the SAC, can help you win fellowships for graduate study or travel abroad (or both at once). Just stop by their office in the SAC for more information, or attend one of their fellowship meetings for sophomores and juniors. Lauren Stolper, the Fellowships Director, will be happy to help you with your application. The office also has information on travel and working abroad.
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Financial Aid
x6280
davidlevy@finaid
www.finaid.caltech.edu/
Information on grants, scholarships, long-term and low-interest loans, and work study is available in the Financial Aid Office, 515 South Wilson Ave. If you're having a problem meeting your financial obligations, stop by the office and talk to a financial aid counselor. The filing procedures for federal financial aid seem to change every year, so be sure to pick up the latest information packet (or check out the financial aid web page) before you begin your application. Their web page also has an internet scholarship search program with over 275,000 private scholarships.
If you find yourself in financial difficulty, there are a number of sources of aid. If you need to get to the end of the month without starving, the Caltech Y gives 30-day interest-free loans of up to $50. The Deans' Office offers emergency loans of up to $500. If that's not enough, the Caltech Credit Union may be willing to give you a real loan - ask at their campus office in the basement of Keith Spaulding.
Graphic Arts
x6701
20 Keith Spaulding
www.caltech.edu/~cabs/g-arts/
Graphic Arts, located in the basement of Keith Spaulding, offers a wide variety of printing and copying services. Graphic Arts has top-of-the-line copiers, so their Xeroxes are of excellent quality. They also produce letterheads, envelopes, and business cards with the Tech emblem, as well as binding/finishing services, slide and overhead production, and mounting and scanning services. You'll have real trouble stumping them with your graphics needs (if you're willing to pay the prices). They can also make color copies and passport photos while you wait. All Graphic Arts services can be charged to your student account.
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Graphic Arts: Abbreviated Price List |
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Regular slide production (2"x2"): $7.60 Color Slides: $7.80 Photo Prints (3 days) 5"x7": $2.60 Single sided copies: $.055/copy Double sided copies: $.10/copy Color Copies (400x400 dpi): $1.00 Blackline (for engineering drawings): $.50/sq. foot |
Grievances
Established channels exist to process most grievances. If there is a problem within your House, the House officers and RA's can usually handle it. If you have a serious problem, or your House officers and RA's aren't helping, you should go to the DRL. For academic problems, your advisor or the Deans should help. Any Honor System matters must, of course, be brought to the attention of your BoC rep. or another member of the BoC.
If you have a problem with a certain class policy, some of the larger classes have ombudsmen you can talk to. They will relay your grievance to the professor. Usually the professors teaching smaller classes are more approachable. It doesn't hurt to try talking to them directly. If there is a big problem that many people share and the professor doesn't sympathize, try talking to the Deans.
A Student / Faculty Grievance Committee also exists. To initiate the resolution of a grievance through this committee you should first talk to the mediator, Professor Steven Frautschi x6689. If your complaint is against the mediator you should contact the Chairperson of the Grievance Committee, Professor Lance Davis x4092.
In addition to these, there is an Ombuds Office in the basement of Dabney Hall (see Ombuds Office in this section). The Human Relations Advisor (x6990) can handle any intra-Caltech complaints and problems, large and small, which could not be handled effectively by other methods. The Advisor is not a psychological counselor - for psychological problems of any type, see Counseling.
Health Services
x6393
1239 Arden Road
The Student Health Center is located at 1239 Arden Rd., just east of the tennis courts across California Boulevard. Primary medical care is provided by nurse practitioners between 8:30 a.m.11:45 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.8:30 p.m. (only until 4 p.m. on Fridays) during the school term and by physicians during designated hours, usually by appointment. During school breaks and holidays, the Health Center hours are 8:30 a.m.11:35 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.4:00 p.m. daily. The Health Center is never open on weekends, so plan your illnesses accordingly. The phone number for Medical Service is x6393, and for the Counseling Service, x8331.
Medical and Counseling staff are on call for acute medical and psychological problems 24 hours a day. Dr. Stuart Miller's answering service number for medical assistance is 584.2421. In a psychiatric emergency, you can call Security at x4701 and have them page the psychologist on-call.
For urgent medical emergencies when the Health Center is closed, students should go to the Huntington Memorial Hospital Emergency Room at 100 California Blvd., or call them at 397.5111. Huntington also has a primary care service for non-emergencies which is located near the Emergency Room. If you need an ambulance, don't hesitate to call x5000, and tell Security where to direct it. Please bring your student ID card with you when you visit either the E.R. or Primary Care if it is possible.
All students are entitled to the medical and psychological services offered at the Health Center free of charge. The services include nurse practitioner and physician visits (walk-in and by appointment) for diagnosis and treatment of medical illness and injury, psychologist and psychiatrist appointments, preventive health education brochures on many topics, lab tests including confidential AIDS tests ($13), immunizations (including $10 flu shots), allergy clinics, birth control services, gynecological exams, pregnancy tests, and X-ray referrals. The Health Center can also give advice on travel vaccinations, as necessary.
Dermatology and Orthopedic clinics are also available on certain evenings; appointments are necessary. A good assortment of prescription and over-the-counter medications are available to students through the Health Center at no cost. Condoms are available in the Health Center restrooms free of charge.
All Caltech students are insured under Caltech's Monumental Life Insurance plan. There is an annual one-time deductible of $100, after which the plan pays 100% of your costs up to $250,000 ($10,000 for mental illness) if you use one of their preferred providers. For more information about rates and services, call 800.468.4343, or to find preferred providers in the area, call 800.USA.3860. If you choose not use a preferred provider, the plan will still pay for 70% of covered expenses, and the student will need to make up the balance after the $100 deductible has been met. Most, if not all, medically necessary procedures are covered, including routine pregnancy care and abortions for students. Please get a copy of the most current insurance brochure at the Health Center for details. Coverage is year round (from September 1 to August 31) and world-wide as long as you are a registered student. Coverage includes Christmas and spring break and, if enrolled for the third term, the summer is covered. In some cases, further coverage may be provided by Caltech (e.g., NCAA coverage for sports injury).
Caltech also can provide spouse and dependent insurance plans at additional cost to the student. Enrollment forms are available at the Benefits Office, 105-6 Keith Spalding.
The Caltech master policy number is MX206 - you should memorize this.
Occasionally, the Health Center will refer a student to a specialist for diagnosis or treatment. The cost of the first visit to this specialist will be paid in full, up to $100, if the insurance deductible has not been used. Further visits will be the responsibility of the student with coverage as mentioned.
To complement the student's medical plan, Caltech last year implemented a mandatory dental insurance plan with CIGNA which covers most basic dental procedures completely and about 50% of the cost of more involved procedures. You should receive a packet with the basic information on this plan and an affidavit to be filled out and returned in the mail in near the beginning of the school year for the year of coverage begining on November 1. The charge to the student is $32, automatically billed to your student account; Caltech covers the remainder of the annual premium. Included in the packet should be a list of dentists who are part of the CIGNA Dental Program, although an updated list of providers is available at CDH Network Member Services, 800.367.1037.
Housing
x6176
housing@its
www.caltech.edu/~cabs/housing/
The friendly folks in Housing do all the housing paperwork, as well as oversee the custodial and linen services and furniture delivery and storage. You check out your room key from and will return it to this office. (Don't forget the box of Good Stuff!) They're located in buildings 56 and 62, the little houses next to Ruddock. They keep a directory of houses and apartments for rent in the Pasadena area, so if you're looking for off-campus housing not owned by Caltech, check out their listings web page at http://www.caltech.edu/~cabs/housing/listings/
The Housing Office is responsible for the upkeep of all Undergraduate Housing facilities. If something in your room is damaged, or for other maintenance requests, contact Tony Valdespino, Housing Maintenance Coordinator, at x6175 or tv@its - don't call Physical Plant if the Housing Office is open. If you don't report damage to your room, you may be billed for it. You may also be billed for damage that exceeds normal wear and tear. If there is an emergency maintenance problem (such as a sink detaching itself from the wall) when the Housing Office is closed, call Central Plant at x4717. Someone will answer, even at 4 a.m. If you do arrange for repairs with Central Plant, please leave a message with the maintenance services at x6175 to let them know.
The pet policy is currently: any legal small animal which is caged or enclosed is allowed as long as the animal does not present a health or safety hazard. Housing has no problem with unusual pets like snakes and chinchillas, but note that ferrets are illegal in California. The only free-roaming animals allowed are cats, permitted only for students living in on-campus houses, off-campus alleys, and the apartments. All pets must be registered with the Housing Office. Each House is allowed a maximum number of cats: Dabney, 6; Blacker and Ricketts, 7; Fleming and Lloyd, 8; Page and Ruddock, 10. Students who own a cat and move into a House which already has the maximum number of cats allowed must find new homes for their cats. Cat registration is first-come, first-served, unless Housing is informed otherwise by the House president. Check with the Housing Office for the complete cat policy and a cat registration form.
Industrial Relations Center
x4041
execedu@its
www.irc.caltech.edu/
Most students go through four years at Tech and never realize that the IRC exists. This is a shame. The IRC, located at 383 S. Hill, gives excellent management seminars to industry executives. Space permitting, students can take these seminars (for free!) and rub elbows with the execs. This is great if you're looking for job contacts. The IRC also sponsors the Caltech/MIT Enterprise Forum, which features monthly presentations by the presidents of technology companies and panel critiques of their business plans. If you're interested in learning more about management on your own, the IRC has a management library you can browse through.
JPL
354.4321
www.jpl.nasa.gov/
Caltech operates NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is responsible for exploring space with unmanned spacecraft. Mars Pathfinder, which brought the rover Sojourner to the surface of Mars, Mars Global Surveyor, which discovered Mars's patchwork magnetic field, and Cassini, which hinted that Europa may harbor an ocean under its icy crust, were all products of JPL.
JPL often has interesting talks about planetary science and space technology, and guided group tours are available by appointment.
To get there, take the 210 west to the Oak Grove Avenue exit. You'll see JPL from there. There is also a free shuttle bus for Caltech students and faculty which runs between campus and JPL. You can catch it at San Pasqual and Holliston or by the tennis courts just across California from Bridge. Just show them your Caltech ID. The schedule can be found in the Personnel Directory or posted at the stops.
Students who are going to see someone or who need to go to JPL for a specific event may be admitted through the JPL Visitor's Center between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Have your student ID with you. Even with your ID, they may call the registrar's office to verify that you are a Caltech student. If you need to go to JPL frequently, talk to your division office about getting a special badge. If you are not a U.S. citizen, it will probably be more time-consuming and difficult to get in, so call the Visitor's Center first at 354.4321 and ask what documentation you should bring.
Libraries
Caltech's newest library, the Sherman Fairchild Engineering Library, lies east of Dabney Hall. It boasts a barrel-vaulted ceiling and a serene atmosphere for study. The library has soundproof study rooms (ask at the front desk for a key), nice computers (some with scanners and CD writers), copiers (just swipe your ID card), a Digital Media center with really buff computers for web design, digital media, and other fun stuff, and of course lots and lots of books. You can even check out a laptop here.
Millikan Library (the tallest building on campus) is the other large library. It holds biology, chemistry, humanities, social sciences, mathematics, and physics books and journals, as well as a record collection, microfilm readers, and lots of copiers. If Caltech doesn't have the book you want, ask about getting the book through library exchange programs at UCLA and USC.
Millikan and Fairchild libraries have the same hours: 8:00 a.m.1:00 a.m. during the school year, 8:00 a.m.midnight during the summer. Fairchild has extended hours during exam periods. You need to show your ID to get into either library after business hours or to check out books.
Some departments also have their own libraries, which are usually open during business hours. (More detailed information is available from the library system web page.) The geology library in North Mudd is particularly beautiful. Judy Library (on the first floor of Baxter) has current newspapers and periodicals for general reading.
Caltech's libraries have an electronic card catalog which will give you the status and availability of books and journals - telnet to clas.caltech.edu and type clas when prompted for login. There's also the TOC/DOC service for requesting photocopies of journal articles from about the last twelve years. (The photocopies will be sent to you through campus mail, usually arriving within 48 hours). Just telnet to tocdoc.caltech.edu and type toc when prompted for login.
See the Pasadena Services section for information on Pasadena-area libraries.
Lost and Found
Caltech's Lost and Found service is run by the Caltech Y, x6163. If you lose something in the gym, try calling the Athletic Office, x6146, as they maintain their own lost and found. Things that disappear in the student Houses (especially over the summer) may end up in one of the basement storeroomscheck with the linen room. You can also try sending an email to the entire house inquiring after a lost item, as people may have a tendency to put off turning in a found item.
Minority Student Affairs
lacasa@its
www.its.caltech.edu/~lacasa/
The Minority Student Affairs Office, also known as La Casa (Spanish for home), operates on the principle of Ujamaa (Swahili for unity). It is located at 367 S. Holliston rm 204. The MSA's goals are to help Caltech graduate more underrepresented minorities (Native American, African American, and Latino) and to help the rest of the undergraduates learn more about underrepresented cultures.
The MSA organizes the Freshman Summer Institute for incoming Freshman, the Math and Science Achievement Program, and academic and career information for underrepresented minorities. It cosponsors Semana Latina and activities for Black History Month. It also administers the Mellon Fellowship Program and supports student organizations for underrepresented minorities.
The MSA also coordinates outreach programs that expose underrepresented precollege students to math and science. These programs are the Saturday Tutorial program for children of Caltech staff (student run), and the Saturday Academy for local high school students. Students can help their efforts by speaking, teaching or tutoring in one these programs.
Ombuds Office
x6990
helenh@its
www.its.caltech.edu/~ombuds/
The Caltech Ombuds Office (in the basement of Dabney Hall, room 6) is run by Helen Hasenfeld, the Caltech Ombudsperson. The office exists to help resolve disputes on campus and promote fair treatment for people involved in conflict. The office is independent of all other Caltech structures and works to generate different options to problems and achieve informal resolution of them.
All conversations in the Ombuds Office are confidential, to the extent allowable by law. The Ombuds Office is the only place on campus, for example, where sexual harrassment can be discussed without the need to begin a formal investigation into the issue. Confidentiality will be broken if a visitor shares facts that indicate danger to themselves or to others.
Helen will help you analyze your situation and identify and evaluate ways to resolve it. Solutions may include consultation, mediation, negotiations, or investigations. However, no action is ever taken without your express permission.
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When Should I Consult the Ombuds Office? |
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· If you are unsure about how an Institute policy or procedure applies to your situation; · If you have a problem that requires some one to help negotiate a solution, or help facilitate communication between yourself and others; · If you have a dilemma and don't know where to turn; · If you feel that any institute policy, procedure, or regulation has been applied unfairly or erroneously, or is itself fun damentally unfair; · If you think you have experienced harassment based on race, gender, or sexual preference. |
Postal Services
The Caltech Mail Room in the lobby of Keith Spalding is a U.S. Post Office contract station operated by Caltech employees. Most of the standard postal services are available here. In addition to stamps, the Post Office handles registered, insured, certified, express mail, global priority, money orders, voter registration forms, and shipping supplies. Stamps are also available at the Caltech Bookstore. C.O.D. mail is not processed on campus, however. If you receive a C.O.D. delivery, the Pasadena main post office will send you a pick up slip through Caltech Mail Services for prompt pickup at the 600 N. Lincoln Ave. branch. The window hours for Caltech Mail Services are 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. The cutoff time for registered mail is 3:30 p.m. and the cutoff for express mail is 4:45 p.m. daily.
Mail Services also handles Federal Express shipping through your Caltech student account. The Fedex counter is located in the Mail Department and can be accessed through the south driveway of the Keith Spalding building. Mail Services ships a large daily volume and receives a big discount off the Fedex published rates. These savings are passed on to its customers. One-, two-, or three-day delivery is available and all shipments are guaranteed and traceable. The cutoff time is 4:30 p.m.
Central receiving, located at 391 S. Holliston in Physical Plant, handles all incoming and outgoing U.P.S. packages. Their hours of operations are 7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. The cutoff time for U.P.S. is 2:45 p.m.
Mail is delivered to the undergraduate student mailboxes weekdays at 1:30 p.m. The mailboxes are located along the Olive walk between Page and Lloyd houses. All U.S mail, intercampus mail, and Parcel slips for U.S. mail, Fedex, U.P.S., Airborne, etc. are delivered to your mailbox. You must keep your box clear of old mail. Mail not picked up after ten days can be returned by the Mail Dept. If you receive mail for the previous mailbox user, just mark a line through the address label and place the mail in the outgoing mail box and the Mail clerk will reroute it. There are two outgoing mail boxes near the student houses. One is located on the front wall of Lloyd house by the International office entrance. The other is in the Chandler Dining Hall entrance next to the ATM machine.
The Pasadena Post Office, where your mail goes first if you live off-campus, is located at 600 N. Lincoln (at the corner of Orange Grove). It is open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is a Post Office branch at 967 E. Colorado (near Catalina Blvd). Its hours are Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
New students (who don't have mailboxes yet) should have packages sent to
391 S. Holliston
Pasadena, CA 91125.
Students with mailboxes should have all mail
sent to their box.
Campus Mail codes are room numberbuilding number (as shown on campus maps). The ZIP code for the student mail boxes is 91126; for the rest of campus, use 91125, and for off-campus addresses (including Holliston), use 91106.
Report all mailbox problems to Mail Services at x6371.
Public Events
x4657
330 S. Chester
www.caltech.edu/~tickets/
Caltech Public Events has great performances throughout the year. Tickets for Caltech students are only $5 (less than half the price everyone else has to pay), so take advantage of this and pay a visit to the ticket office.
This year, performances will include the Flying Karamazov Brothers, a Shakespeare company, taiko drumming, the Capitol Steps, chamber music, Latin American music, and more. Check out http://www.its.caltech.edu/~ope/9899/series.html for a full list.
You can also work for Public Events as an usher. The work is easy, the pay is decent, and you'll get to see some of your favorite groups on stage for free. Contact Ram Basu (x3667, rbasu@caltech.edu) in the Public Events office for more information.
Recycling
The Caltech Recycling Center is across from Avery, north of the Holliston parking structure. They accept newspaper, white paper, CA redemption value plastic, clear, brown, and green glass bottles, and aluminum cans. This is a fine place to scavenge if you need any of these things.
There are also recycling bins in each of the undergraduate houses, by the mailboxes, and other places around campus. The Caltech Environmental Task Force (see the Clubs section) is heavily involved in recycling - talk with them if you'd like to help.
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What can I recycle? |
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Newspaper Just newspaper. No phone books, please.
White paper We would like to keep this as high a grade as possible, so please put in white ofce paper and computer paper only. Please do not recycle anything with glue or tape on it.
Plastic Bottles CA redemption value plastic bottles (bottles with "CA Redemption" printed on the sides) are the only plastic containers accepted. Please do not mix in anything that does not have the marking, even though it may appear to be the same plastic.
Glass bottles They need to be separated into three categories: colorless, brown, and green. Please do not mix in other types of glass such as Pyrex or window pane.
Aluminum cans Soda cans. That's all. Please do not mix in contaminants such as aluminum cat food containers or "tin" (steel) cans. |
Registrar
x6277
reggie@its
www.its.caltech.edu/~reggie/
The Registrar's Office takes care of all student records, current and past, as well as class registration issues and the like. You'll probably stop by here at least once a term. Here's why:
· Registration: Your mail-in registration each term goes straight to the Registrar's Office. If you lose the packet, you can pick one up here. You can also bring your filled in registration card directly here. If you bring it in early, you can get an edge on getting into Ch 3a or other popular classes.
· Yellow Cards: The Registrar's Office also takes care of all your adding, dropping, and piffing needs. Don't try to pass off forges Gloria does know the signatures of all the professors, and will likely laugh at you until you turn blue if you try. Make them happy by actually making an appointment with your professor and getting his signature instead of relying on the Deans to sign your yellow cards.
· UASH: The Registrar's Office attempts to make any dealings with UASH as understandable as possible. Any petition you'd ever want to make (late drop, late add, reinstatement, underuniting, generally being a doofus) starts here (with their precise directions) and ends with a letter of confirmation or decline from them.
· Getting out of Core Clases: You can also pick up a Special Exception for Taking Core Classes petition here. If the Curriculum Committee grants your request, you could get out of any of the core classes (or, I suppose, all of them).
· Withdrawal from Institute: The not-so-big, not-so-red Big Red Drop Card comes from here. Let's hope you never see what it really looks like.
· Candidacy of Major: Sometime in your senior year, you actually get to meet the Registrar herself. You can wait for a letter asking you to set up a time for the meeting, or you can drop her a line beforehand (say, September) to set up the meeting where you get to discuss whether you're going to meet the requirements for your major, and just how. We recommend that you contact her yourself and make the appointment early, as (1) she's got your head on the block, so (2) it's better to be on her good side and not be one of 35 seniors she's meeting with on a day sometime near the end of second term.
· Taking Classes at Other Universities: Caltech has exchange programs with Occidental and the Art Center. If they have room, you can take classes at these colleges for free. The Registrar's Office has catalogs from these institutions, and the forms you'll need to fill out to get Caltech credit. You'll need to get a professor in the appropriate department to sign your formask Gloria who you should talk to.
· Attaining Records: The Registrar's Office is the Keeper of All Undergraduate Records. If you need a transcript, or if you've forgotten what your SAT scores are, they can help you out. Unofficial transcripts (which must be picked up in person) are 50¢; official transcripts are $1.00.
· Confusion: If you're ever unsure about what you need for graduation, the Registrar's Office will straighten you out.
x5000 (emergencies only), x4701
greggh@its
Since 1994 or so, when off-campus Techers were being harassed by parasitic punks, Caltech has strengthened the wall between Tech and the real world by beefing up its security force. If you see any undesirable types hanging around, need an escort walking through campus at night, or encounter any problem with violence, theft, or the like, security can be reached 24 hours a day at the above numbers.
The lot of the security officer is more difficult than we give them credit for: after all, they have to be able to discriminate between off-campus punks who have sneaked on to cause trouble and Techers pulling pranks. Their record in these matters is very good.
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Caltech Security Services |
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· If you don't want to walk alone at night, security provides a free escort service around campus and to off-campus housing. Call the office 24 hours a day to ask for an escort. · After 5 p.m. and on weekends and holidays, Security can get you into buildings you don't have a key to (if you have a good reason and don't know anyone with a key). They can even let you back into your room if you get locked out. · Security is the voice behind the emergency phones sprinkled around campus. If you see any trouble, or are in trouble, and get to one of these phones, a quick call will get Security dispatched to the area immediately. · If you lose your ID card and need to get into Avery or other card-locked buildings, Security can issue you a temporary card. · You'll need to talk to Security if you want to be able to park your car on campus without getting a ticket. Stop by either parking structure 24 hours a day, or ask at the administrative office in P-Plant (across from Chandler) during business hours to get a magic yellow sticker. |
Some of the stockrooms on campus sell to undergrads, giving you access to electronics, lumber, metal, hardware, photographic supplies, and the like. They usually accept both cash and student accounts.
The Central Warehouse in Physical Plant (x4891, between the Student Shop and Central Receiving in building 85) has a large selection of aluminum, brass, steel, and copper stock (rod, pipe, sheet metal, metal plate, and channel, angle, box, and I-beam cross sections). They also carry a variety of plastics, including teflon, lucite (plexiglas), and phenolic (the stuff circuit boards are made of).
The Physical Plant stockroom (x4680) can provide you with PVC and some lumber.
The EE stockroom (x4832, 021 Moore) has (or can order) just about any resistor, capacitor, or IC you'll ever need. They also sell nylon webbing and soft drinks.
The Chemistry stockroom (x6038, 255 Crellin) won't sell to undergrads, but you can always befriend grad students and see if they'll buy stuff for you.
The Biology department has two stockrooms (x6804, 127 Beckman; x4922, 181 Alles), but they only accept department accounts. Again, try grad students. Some undergraduate organizations also have department accounts if you're desperate, they may be willing to do you a favor.
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Departmental Stockrooms | |||
| Biology | 127 Beckman | x6804 | department accounts only |
| Biology | 181 Alles | x4922 | department accounts only |
| Chemistry | 255 Crellin | x6038 | won't sell to undergrads |
| EE | 021 Moore | x4832 | sells to undergrads & departments |
Student Affairs
x6321
108 Parsons-Gates
jerri@caltech
www.caltech.edu/~stuaffairs
Chris Brennen is the VP of Student Affairs. He is an excellent storyteller and an avid hiker, as well as a professor of mechanical engineering. Rumor has it that he's written a book on hikes in the San Gabriel mountains, and the book is under review for publication. He's very friendly, so wave hello to him when you see him.
Student Affairs is in charge of Residence Life, the Deans, the Y, and many other departments. They also provide several useful services.
If you need legal advice for something like pranking off-campus, talk to the folks at Student Affairs - they can put you in touch with the Student Affairs lawyer.
Student Affairs also maintains a van for use by the Houses and other student organizations. Ask at the Deans' Office if you'd like to use it. You'll need to have a valid driver's license and take a drive test at the Y. Then talk to Suzette in the Deans' Office to check out the van.
If you're looking for funding for an event, Student Affairs has a very useful packet that describes campus organizations you might want to ask. Take a look at it on the web, or stop by their office and pick up a paper copy.
You may also run into Sharyn Slavin Miller, Stan Borodinsky, or Jerri Greene at the Student Affairs office. They're all friendly.
Telephones
Every undergraduate house has at least one pay phone. They are maintained by Pacific Bell. There are also campus extensions in the lounges and most alleys, which can be used for on-campus calls and local calls (area codes 626, 818, 213, 562, and 310), free of charge. To call 626 numbers, dial 9 and then the number. For the 818, 213, 562 and 310 area codes, dial 9.1.area code.number.
To call a JPL extension, dial 777, wait for the dial tone, and dial the five-digit JPL number. To dial a campus extension from off-campus, dial 395.extension number.
The switchboard is open Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to midnight, and on weekends and holidays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Two rings from a campus extension indicates a call from off-campus; a normal ring indicates an on-campus call. For a complete list of cool telephone functions and instructions, see the Personnel Directory.
For long-distance calls through the Caltech network, you can get a long-distance phone account number from the Telecommunications Office, on the east side of Dabney Hall. Domestic call rates are significantly lower than commercial carriers, and your student account is billed automatically. The limitations of this service are that you are asked not to use it during business hours, you can only call from a campus extension, and service is available only in the continental United States and Canada.
If you don't have a charge number, you can call the Caltech operator during switchboard hours and tell them to charge a call to your student account (you must give them your account number and last name). If you want to use your calling card, simply dial 9 and then proceed as usual.
If you want some privacy for your conversations, you may want to have a phone line installed in your room. You'll pay a $50 startup charge (which you only have to pay once during your Caltech career) and $12 per month for all services. There's also a fine if you don't cancel your line when you move. You're assigned your own campus extension, which can be moved to any room on campus free of charge. See the How-to section for details.
Winnett Center
Winnett Student Center got a facelift over the summer, as construction workers remodeled the building to house the Red Door Cafe and an expanded Bookstore. The Bookstore and the Red Door Cafe are now both located on the ground floor of the building. A new computer area sits between the Bookstore and the Red Door, and the ATM is now on the south face of the building, inside the new pillared canopy. Two large student activities rooms are upstairs, and they even have a small kitchen. Caltech's kick-butt amateur radio club (which crushed Harvard, MIT, and other large schools in a tournament last year; see Student Activities for a description) has a larger room upstairs, too. The historic bricks on the south side of Winnett have been preserved - they bear the names of students from long ago.
Women's Center
www.its.caltech.edu/~wcenter/
wcenter@its
x3221
The Caltech Women's Center was founded in 1993 to work for the advancement of women in science and engineering and the advancement of women at Caltech. The Center offers a lending library with subjects including women in science and engineering, women's studies, management, literature, erotica, and most National Science Foundation publications about the advancement of women in science and engineering.
The Women's Center is temporarily housed in the garage of Steele House, but will be moving to Marks in January 2000.
The Women's Center has an active e-mail list that updates students about speakers they've invited. They also help organize self-defense classes open to both male and female students. Although they sometimes act like a little bit of Berkeley here at Caltech, they usually have a good sense of humor. The center is open 9-5, M-F, and other times by appointment. Kathleen Bartle-Schulweis is the Director, and Beverly Kenworthy is the Assistant to the Director.
x6163
caltechy@its
www.its.caltech.edu/~caltechy/
The Caltech Y is one of the most active organizations on campus. They organize the Y Hike in the Sierras in the fall, help with Semana Latina and other cultural events, set up volunteer opportunities, and run Decompression the weekend before finals. They organize hiking and mountain biking during the year. They sponsor talks. They run broomball tournaments. And that's not all....
At the Y office (x6163, temporarily in Steele House, but moving to Keck in the fall), you can rent card tables and camping gear. You can also buy discount tickets to movies, concerts, and amusement parks. They also run the campus lost-and-found and the Y book exchange, and offer 30-day interest-free emergency loans of up to $50.
The Y Excomm, which is made up of undergrads and graduate students, organizes activities and allocates funds at its weekly meetings Mondays at noon. Undergraduates are welcome to attend. The Y's staff members are Executive Director Sue Borrego, Administrative Assistant Deborah Bunting, and Activities Coordinator Athena Castro (castroa@its). Athena meets with the Y Excomm every week, and is the person to talk to if you have questions about upcoming events.