ADMINISTRATION AND FACULTY OFFICES
The Executive Education office in the Steinberg Conference Center (SCC) is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (+1.215.898.4560 phone). Faculty offices are located in Steinberg Hall/Dietrich Hall and Jon M. Hunstman Hall and are also open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A faculty directory is available in the Executive Education office.
GETTING TO CAMPUS
The Philadelphia International Airport has a very good website, from which you can check all airlines' arrivals and departures.
From the airport, the following forms of transit are available:
- Taxi: A metered cab ride will cost $28.50 and take about 20 minutes. There is a flat fee for all trips to and from the airport.
- Shuttle Van: costs $10 to $12 for a one-way trip. There are several firms that stop at the University campus with frequent service.
- Executive Sedan: To reserve a sedan from Boston Coach in advance, call 1.800.672.7676 (inside the U.S.), +1.610.521.0500 (worldwide). Philly Shuttle is also available. To make a reservation, call +1.215.333.1441 at least 2 days in advance.
- Airport Express Train: The SEPTA R1 train departs every 30 minutes, at 10 minutes after the hour and half-hour and takes you to 30th Street Station. The fare is $7.00, and the ride takes 22 minutes.
- From Amtrak's 30th Street Station: Philadelphia is a major stop on Amtrak's Northeast corridor lines. Schedule and fare information is available by phone (1.800.USA.RAIL) or on the Amtrak website. From the station, a metered cab ride costs about $6.00 and takes about five minutes.
ACCOMMODATIONS
All open-enrollment programs (those programs for which you are invoiced directly by Wharton Executive Education) and most custom programs (those programs sponsored by your employer or an organization) include hotel accommodations. Where accommodations are included, Wharton Executive Education will handle all of the details. Each of the program pages on our website indicate whether accommodations are included. You can also read the following paragraph for additional information on program accommodations.
Most participants are housed at the Steinberg Conference Center (SCC) (campus map) (Google map). Frequently, other nearby hotels, such as the Inn at Penn, are utilized. For your specific accommodations information, if you are:
- An open-enrollment program participant (one who is invoiced directly by Wharton Executive Education), you will receive your housing information with your pre-reading materials (approximately three weeks prior to their program).
- A custom program participant (one who is attending a program sponsored by your employer or an organization), you should check the correspondence received from the program administrator or coordinator.
Check-in is anytime after 12:00 noon on the day your program starts (unless you are advised otherwise; please refer to the letter from your program coordinator). Accommodations are typically not available to program participants prior to the start of a seminar. Please call your coordinator if you need an earlier check-in.
Checkout time is before the beginning of class on the last day of the program.
Participants in the Steinberg Conference Center will be provided with all the amenities of a hotel, such as private bath, linens, color television, hair dryer, radio alarm clock, and daily housekeeping services. Laundry services are available for a fee. There is same-day service if dropped off at the front desk by 8:30 a.m.
Other Hotel Accommodations
Participants not staying at the SCC will be housed at one of the four-star hotels in the campus or downtown area. If you are staying at an outside hotel, you may check into your room anytime after 3:00 p.m., although rooms may be available before that time.
For accommodations prior to or after a program, we suggest one of the hotels in the University City or Downtown (also known as Center City) areas. In the University City area, we recommend The Hilton Inn at Penn. In the downtown area, Wharton Executive Education regularly uses the Ritz Carlton, Westin, and Four Seasons. A complete list of hotels is available through the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Corporation.
Meals
All meals, unless otherwise noted in your correspondence, will be served in the Steinberg Conference Center. Open-enrollment programs include all meals for the duration of the program. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet style, while dinners are served either buffet or à la carte. Beer and wine are available with dinner on a retail basis. Please contact your program coordinator if you have any special dietary needs, and he or she will communicate this to our Executive Chef.
Parking
Parking in the vicinity of the SCC is extremely limited. The nearby lots charge approximately $25 per day and accept payment in both cash and credit card. Please note, however, that an automobile is not needed while attending a program, and the Conference Center is easily accessible by taxi, train, and public transportation.
Parking maps and other transportation resources are available through the University of Pennsylvania.
Transportation Options While At Wharton
- Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA): SEPTA has bus and rail lines throughout the city and suburbs of Philadelphia. Schedule and fare information is available at +1.215.580.7800 or on the SEPTA website.
- Car Rentals: If you want to rent a car for a day, all major rental agencies are located at the airport; and Hertz, Avis, National, and Budget are located nearby in Amtrak's 30th Street Station.
- Taxi: Taxis are abundant around the campus. The Steinberg Conference Center front desk will call a cab when requested.
PRE-COURSE PREPARATORY MATERIAL
You will receive the detailed program schedule, pre-reading materials and instructions about two to three weeks prior to the start of the program.
TYPICAL SCHEDULE
The specifics vary from program to program, but typically our five-day programs begin on Monday morning and end just prior to lunch on Friday, with lunch included at the participants' option. The schedules for programs shorter than one week vary sufficiently that it is hard to generalize the starting and finishing times. During the program, most days run from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with evening work frequently assigned. Some programs also have scheduled evening sessions. You will receive a detailed schedule about two to three weeks prior to the start of your program.
DRESS CODE
The dress code for class and all meals is business casual. Based upon the program you are attending, your program coordinator will inform you in advance if any special dress is required. The SCC can be cool at times, so it is advisable that you bring a sweater.
PERSONAL COMPUTER INFORMATION
Personal computer systems are a feature of the Steinberg Conference Center guest rooms. These systems are terminals, not desktop computers; they run the Windows XP operating system and feature Microsoft Office 2003 software (with full compatibility with Microsoft Office 2007 documents). The systems do not have CD-ROM or floppy drives, nor do they support the use of Web cams or digital cameras, nor do they have access to printers.
The breakout and case study rooms are all equipped with personal computer desktop systems running Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007. A Ricoh Aficio LaserJet 410 printer is available for participants' use in all these rooms. They have DVD drives and Internet access. Most case study rooms are equipped with Web cams and headsets, and common video conferencing software — such as Skype and AOL Instant Messenger — is installed.
Each guestroom, case study room, and breakout room in the SCC has free high speed access to the Internet, via Ethernet or wireless.
Our security policies do not permit the downloading of any software on to the SCC systems.
Participants may bring laptop computers to their program. Participants attending from outside the United States should bring an adapter for converting 220 volts to 120 volts. Macintosh laptop users should remember to bring the appropriate VGA adapter if they plan to use it to present their work.
Network Information
The SCC has a free wireless network, and you’ll be given a username and password along with instructions for accessing it. The SCC is also equipped with a free 100MB/s network delivered over ethernet cabling - no account is needed to access it. You can connect your own laptop to the Center’s ethernet cables. The network is completely open, so make sure that your laptop is fully patched and has up-to-date virus protection software installed.
USING E-MAIL WHILE AT THE STEINBERG CONFERENCE CENTER
Only Web-based e-mail clients are supported at the SCC. If your corporate e-mail system requires the downloading of special software (such as VPNs), plug-ins, or security certificates, you are strongly encouraged to bring your own laptop, since our security policies do not permit the downloading of any software onto the SCC systems. Wharton does not provide e-mail accounts to Executive Education participants.
TELEPHONES
A private telephone is available in each participant's room. SCC guests will be billed for telephone calls by the SCC; other hotel guests will be billed by their respective hotel. Public telephones accepting major credit cards and calling cards are located throughout the second floor of the SCC. It is advisable that participants attending from outside of the United States confirm that their credit and/or calling card will be viable for placing calls while in the United States. Otherwise, phone company calling cards can be purchased in $10 and $20 denominations at many nearby locations. These cards are valid for both domestic and international calls.
FAXES, MAIL, MESSAGES
- Receiving:
During class hours, mail, faxes, and phone messages will be delivered to the classroom. When class is not in session, messages will be delivered through the Conference Center front desk.
- Sending:
Fax service is available at the front desk of the Conference Center and through your guest room computer. Receipt of faxes is a complimentary service. There is a charge for sending faxes.
While class is in session and for guests accommodated at the Steinberg Conference Center, participant contact information is:
Telephone: +1.215.386.8300
Fax: +1.215.573.3426
Address:
Participant's Name c/o Aresty Institute of Executive Education
Steinberg Conference Center
255 South 38th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104.6359
HEALTH SERVICES
The University has a comprehensive health system designed to protect the health of the University community and to provide treatment for illness and injury. Wharton Executive Education also maintains relationships with several non-university doctors. All medical expenses must be paid by the participant at the time of service.Find out more about the Penn Center for Executive Health's Personalized Health Assessment
EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBER
Please provide your family and office colleagues with your hotel number, cell phone number, or private phone mail number for all non-emergency messages. In the event of an emergency, you can also be reached at the Steinberg Conference Center through the main phone line: +1.215.898.4560.
ATHLETIC FACILITIES
There is an exercise facility on the fifth floor of the Steinberg Conference Center. That facility is equipped with treadmills, rowing machines, stairmasters, stationary bicycles, free weights, and a "Power-Pak" Universal Circuit Weight Training Unit. When open, a limited number of University athletic facilities, which include tennis, squash, and swimming, will also be available for your use. Please bring your own sports equipment as the university does not provide rentals. More complete information on these facilities is available at registration.
SMOKING POLICY
In compliance with the University of Pennsylvania's smoking policy, smoking is not permitted in Steinberg Conference Center classrooms, rest rooms, hallways, stairwells, lobbies, or any other areas not specifically designated for smoking. Smoking is only permitted in designated guestrooms. You may request either a nonsmoking or smoking guest room at check-in, subject to availability.
SECURITY
The University cannot assume responsibility for loss or damage of personal property. Safety deposit boxes are available at the Steinberg Conference Center and the Inn at Penn, but participants should not bring valuables or large amounts of cash with them.
SHIPPING OF PROGRAM MATERIALS
Over the course of the program, you will accumulate a significant amount of material. We offer the option of shipping materials to your office upon completion of the program. If your company has an account with a carrier (Federal Express, DHL, UPS, etc.) please bring the account number or two preprinted airbills, and the shipment will be billed directly to your company. Without an account, you will need to provide a credit card account number to which the shipment can be charged. You or your company will be responsible for all shipping charges, duties, and taxes.
BANKING, AUTOMATIC TELLER MACHINES (ATMs), AND CREDIT CARDS
Personal checks and traveler's cheques up to $100 per day may be cashed at the Steinberg Conference Center front desk. There is a $300 maximum for each five-day program. There are also several ATM machines within walking distance. It is recommended that participants attending from outside of the United States consider using traveler's cheques and credit cards. If you wish to obtain cash using credit cards, you may use one of several nearby ATMs, which belong to the international ATM networks Plus and Cirrus. It is advised that you confirm that your debit and/or credit card is valid for cash withdrawals within the United States.
CURRENCY EXCHANGE
Currency may be exchanged at the following locations. In some cases, there may be limitations:
- Wachovia Bank, 1500 Market Streets, +1.215.786.5980
- Thomas Cook Currency Services, 1800 John F. Kennedy Blvd. and Philadelphia International Airport Terminals A & B, +1.215.563.7348
PHILADELPHIA INFORMATION
General information on Philadelphia can be obtained at the following websites: