Facilities
The International Congress on Medieval Studies takes place on the campus of Western Michigan University. Congress locations—which include a conference facility, the student union, classroom buildings, and student dormitories—are spread around the campus. Shuttle buses provide transportation among Congress locations, but walking is often the faster option, and many veteran Congress attendees recommend wearing comfortable shoes.
Fitness and Recreation
The fitness rooms in Valley II and Valley III are available for Congress registrants’ use around the clock throughout the Congress. Congress registrants may, upon presentation of a Congress badge and a picture ID, use the facilities of the Student Recreation Center, at the rate of $7.00/visit, which is paid in cash at the time of entry.
Telephones
The Medieval Institute can be reached at 269-387-8745 daily during the Congress between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Telephones are available to rent from the Eldridge-Fox desk throughout the Congress. These telephones may be used in your overnight room. The rental for a telephone is $20.00.
The rental telephones may be used for campus calls and local calls. An AT&T long distance calling card must be used for all long distance calls. The telephone does not accept any other long distance calling card. AT&T phone cards are available for purchase at the Eldridge-Fox desk.
For your convenience, a bank of telephones is set up in Valley III, Room 310. These telephones accept AT&T long distance calling cards. They are available on a 24-hour basis throughout the Congress. Should you wish to make a phone call with a calling card other than AT&T, you must use a pay phone.
Computing Services
Computer Labs
Congress registrants have access to the computer labs in the Bernhard Center and at the University Computing Center (UCC) upon presentation of their Congress badges and picture ID. The lab in the UCC is open 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday–Friday. The lab in the Bernhard Center is open 8:00 a.m.–12:00 midnight, Monday–Friday, and 9:00 a.m.–12:00 midnight, Saturday and Sunday.
Wireless Internet Access
Congress registrants with wireless-equipped laptops may obtain access to WMU’s wireless network by following the instructions contained in their registration packets. Please note that the WMU wireless network does not operate in dormitory sleeping rooms. For help, Congress registrants should take their wireless-equipped laptops, together with their Congress badges and picture ID, to the computer lab in the University Computing Center.
Audio-Visual Equipment
Equipment Requests
Requests for audio-visual equipment are made on the Participant Information Form at the time the paper proposal is submitted for consideration (on or before September 15). The Medieval Institute does not accept Participant Information Forms by e-mail, and late equipment requests can rarely be accommodated.
Data Projector Specifications
Data projectors are present in Congress meeting rooms only for those sessions for which they have been requested. They have VGA connections and XGA (1024 x 768 pixels) resolution. We encourage you to test your laptop using a projector with these specifications before coming to the Congress.
Most Mac users will need to bring an adaptor for the VGA connection. All laptop users will need to bring power cords. Most of those coming from outside North America will need a plug adaptor (although probably not a converter, since most laptops are designed to work with a wide range of voltage and frequency). Electrical current in the United States is 120 volts/60 Hz.
Wireless Internet Access
Congress registrants with wireless-equipped laptops may obtain access to WMU’s wireless network by following the instructions contained in their registration packets. Those planning to use the internet during their presentations will need to establish a User ID in WMU’s wireless system on their laptops in advance of the session.
Audio-Visual Assistance
Audio-visual equipment assistance is available in the Fetzer Center, the Bernhard Center, Sangren Hall, and Schneider Hall when sessions are running.
Floor Plans
Floor plans of the Goldsworth Valley dormitories, the Fetzer Center, Schneider Hall, the Bernhard Center, and Sangren Hall, together with a map of the Western Michigan University campus, are available here in PDF format. Viewing PDF files requires Adobe Acrobat Reader©, which you can download for free.
Goldsworth Valley dormitories
Fetzer Center
Schneider Hall
Bernhard Center
Sangren Hall
WMU Campus
Photographs:
- The Fetzer Center
- The Computer Lab in the Bernhard Center