National Security Management
Course FAQ

Accommodations:

During your participation in the National Security Management Course, you will reside at the Sheraton University Hotel and Conference Center, just a five-minute walk from the Maxwell School, where the majority of your classes will be held. The Sheraton has always received very high marks from our past participants for comfort, convenience and personal service.

Irons, ironing boards, small refrigerators, and hair dryers will be provided in all rooms. Your tuition for this program covers all lodging expenses to include your room and all meals, the majority of which will be served either in private hotel dining facilities or catered on campus. Your telephone charges and miscellaneous expenses such as room service, alcoholic beverages, movies,  or dry cleaning are your own personal obligations.

Breakfast, snacks and beverages will be available daily in the National Security Studies Hospitality Suite (Waverly Room, 2^nd Floor) at the Sheraton. You may take advantage of coin-operated washers and dryers on the third floor of the Sheraton. There are a number of laundromats and dry cleaners in the area. We will provide transportation as required. One-day laundry and dry cleaning services are available through the Sheraton's valet service.

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Arrival and Check-In:

Plan to arrive by early to mid-afternoon on April 27. Some of you will be traveling from distant places and an early arrival may not be possible, but please try to arrive no later than 4:00 pm, Sunday. Should you be arriving before or after April 27, please get in touch with our office as soon as your travel plans become final and include your detailed travel information on the Administrative Registration Form.

When you arrive on Sunday, either by car or escorted by our staff from the airport, members of our staff will be in the Sheraton Hotel lobby to meet you. You will be given your course agenda, a binder of instructional materials and books that have been purchased for you, a student identification card and a nametag. You will be pre-registered at the hotel and need not check in at the desk if you arrive during registration (11:00 am - 4:00 pm). You must, however, provide the desk clerk upon arrival an impression of your credit card to cover incidental expenses (phone calls, dry cleaning, movies, alcohol) you may incur during your stay.

A sandwich buffet will be available in the hotel lobby through the lunch hour and into the afternoon. The opening event will be group tours of the campus beginning at 3:00 pm, Sunday afternoon. That evening, plan to dress in business attire to attend a 6:00pm reception and a 7:00pm dinner with your classmates at the Sheraton. During the reception, a professional photographer will take a photo of each of you to include in your class yearbook.

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ATM's and Check Cashing:

There is a automatic teller machine ($1.50 service fee) in the lobby of the Sheraton, or you may cash personal checks up to $50 a day at the front desk.  Also, there are KeyBank and Bank of America ATMs near by, and within walking distance HSBC and Chase banks.

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Contact NSS:

Sue Virgil, Senior Administrator
315-443-9920,
Fax 315-443-1685
E-mail: smvirgil@maxwell.syr.edu

Joseph Nosse, Information Administrator
315-443-3085,
Fax 315-443-1685
E-mail: kimill01@syr.edu

Josh Moses, Graduate Assistant
315-443-2814
Fax: 315-443-1685
E-mail: mlenkows@maxwell.syr.edu

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Dress Code:

Please pack business civilian casual attire (open collar shirt; slacks) for your comfort for full days in the classroom and civilian casual (jeans, walking shoes, outerwear) for outdoor and indoor off-campus events. Please do pack business attire (dress; suit; sport coat and tie) for prescribed dinner events with distinguished guest speakers.

There will be no event, academic or otherwise, sponsored by National Security Studies, that will require military officers to bring or wear uniforms. The Syracuse University Air Force and Army ROTC Detachments have in the past, however, invited some of our NSS students to speak to their cadets, and uniforms are appropriate to wear if desired.

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Family Visits:

You are encouraged to invite members of your family to visit you in Syracuse during the conduct of the course, and your spouse can participate in the National Security Studies social events or join the class for dinner with a distinguished guest speaker. While in Syracuse, members of your family may stay in your room with you at the Sheraton at no additional room charge. However, you will be responsible for all meals and other expenses associated with their visit. Please let us know well in advance if you intend to take advantage of this opportunity so we may coordinate their comfort at the Hotel and possible participation in course events. The Administrative Registration Form provides a space for this response

The middle weekend, May 3-5, the class will travel to a Syracuse University retreat in the Adirondacks for a case study simulation.  Because of limited accommodations there, spouses will not be able to accompany you.

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Meals and Daily Schedule:

You will enjoy a hospitality suite throughout the course that is provided for your class by the Sheraton University Hotel.  The Waverly Room  is located on the second floor of the Sheraton.  You will be served an ala carte breakfast in the Waverly Room each morning and you will find a generous supply of snacks and beverages there throughout your stay in the hotel.  NSS classes are encouraged to make themselves at home in the Waverly hospitality suite and enjoy visiting with one another informally before and after class.

Morning classes begin at 8:30am and generally last three hours. Lunches will normally be served in the Maxwell Graduate Study Lounge (Maxwell 204) or in the Eggers Public Events Room when a distinguished guest speaker is scheduled to address the class (located on the second floor of the Maxwell/Eggers complex).  There are three or four hours of lecture and class work in the afternoons, followed by an informal dinner at the Sheraton from 6-8 pm.

National Security Studies participants enjoy the use of the Maxwell Graduate Study Lounge on the second floor of Maxwell Hall throughout the course. Each of you will be assigned a small cupboard in which you may store personal items while you are in class. Course materials, revisions to the course agenda, course critique forms, and other general information will be distributed to you in your mailbox located in the Lounge.  You will find a coffee and tea service, water and light beverages outside the NSS Administrative office to enjoy between scheduled meals.

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Non-Attribution Policy:

This is an unclassified executive development program, and all presentations, comments, and discussions among peers, staff, faculty, and guest speakers are not for attribution.

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Student Privileges:

As members of this NSS program, you will enjoy most of the rights and privileges that Syracuse University extends to its full-time students. You will be issued a student ID card, assigned a computer account, and given access to the gym, library and the student health services facility.

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Travel:

All ground transportation to and from course-related events is the responsibility of the National Security Studies program. The TDY cost and arrangements-for transportation to and from Syracuse, New York, to attend the course is the responsibility of the individual or his/her sponsoring agency or service. Please indicate on the Administrative Registration Form the specific details of your travel plans so that we can be prepared to assist you.

Driving to Syracuse
If you are driving to Syracuse, please proceed directly to the Sheraton University Hotel and Conference Center. The hotel is located on the Syracuse University Campus on the southeast side of  Syracuse, three blocks east of Interstate 81, at the corner of Waverly and University Avenues. You may park in front of the hotel and proceed into the lobby where you will be met by members of the National Security Studies staff. Sheraton staff members will be ready to assist you with your luggage. Parking is available to you at no charge in the hotel parking garage immediately adjacent to the hotel and accessible through the lobby. For more detailed directions and some useful maps you can visit this external link on the Syracuse University web site.  If you need additional directions to the hotel, please contact our office.

Flying to Syracuse
If you are flying to Syracuse, you should plan to arrive at the Syracuse Hancock International Airport. The airport is located on the north side of the city, just fifteen minutes from the hotel and Syracuse University. When you arrive you will be met at your airline's baggage claim area by a graduate assistant of the National Security Studies Program, who will assist you with your luggage and escort you to one of our vans. You and your luggage will be transported directly to the Sheraton University Hotel and Conference Center. If you miss us at the baggage claim area, please call the Sheraton front desk, 315-475-3000 and an escort will be sent to you immediately.

Renting a Car
There is no requirement to rent a car to travel to off-campus events, such as the case study simulation.   However, for personal convenience and to take advantage of the scenic areas surrounding central New York during your free time, you may choose to have a car at your disposal. If you are planning to rent a car, the rental car counters are located on the ground level, in the center of the airport's terminal area. You will find directions from the airport to the University Sheraton on our web site. Please indicate your car rental plans on the Administrative Registration Form.

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Contacting You at Maxwell:

At the Maxwell School, you can be reached at 315-443-9920/3085/2814, or by FAX at 315-443-1685, "Attention: National Security Studies." For access to your commercial and/or government e-mail server, data ports are located on the phones in your hotel room. You may also receive e-mail through your personal Maxwell School network computer account. The Maxwell School's e-mail program is Microsoft Outlook.

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Contacting You at the Sheraton:

Mail service will be provided by the Sheraton Hotel.

Your address at the Sheraton will be: Name Room Number c/o Sheraton University Hotel and Conference Center,  801 University Avenue,  Syracuse, New York 13210

You can be reached by phone at the hotel 315-475-3000 or by FAX at 315-475-3311.

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Weather and Fun:

Spring weather in upstate New York in May is unpredictable but most often beautiful. When we travel away from campus, you may need rain gear, an umbrella, water-proof shoes, a sweater, gloves and a warm jacket. We encourage you to pack hiking shoes and binoculars and camera to Minnowbrook.

Tennis, squash, and racket ball courts are available for your use on campus. Bring your rackets if you would like to play. If you enjoy working out or swimming, you will find excellent facilities on campus, as well as a small pool and workout facilities at the Sheraton University Hotel. The University has a wonderful in-door ice skating rink that you may want to take advantage of while you are here. Bring your skates or rent them at the rink. When you arrive on campus, we will be happy to provide you with favorite running routes of University faculty, staff and students. Our area also boasts of beautiful lakes, rivers and streams where you might enjoy fishing, canoeing or kayaking in your free time, weather permitting.

The Syracuse area is surrounded by some of up-state New York's finest golf courses. Although it is early in the season, if you play golf, bring your clubs. The academic agenda is quite full but does include one afternoon for a golf outing for the class; all participants regardless of skill level are encouraged to play a round of golf at our expense. Your free time is limited, but we encourage you, if at all possible, to bring your gear to ensure that you take advantage of every opportunity to enjoy our wonderful facilities and recreational opportunities.

By now, you have probably noticed on the agenda some of the less serious events planned for you—please make sure we are all prepared to have a good time.  As mentioned, our annual golf tournament is always a popular excursion—you will not want to miss the fun if you have never played golf…but, if you do play golf, please bring your clubs. Other events may not require gear or equipment, just enthusiasm.  If you skate, bring your ice skates for a night at the rink.

We guarantee that you will not only have one of the best professional development experiences of your career, but some of the best fun of your life as members of the NSMC class of 2008!

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Computing:

Please read the following computing related information carefully and, if questions or concerns arise, have your technical support personnel contact our office prior to your arrival so that we can make the computing systems aspect of your NSMC experience as transparent as possible. 

On campus, you will be using Maxwell's internet to complete your assignments and access your home systems via the Internet.  Upon arrival, you will be given an orientation to Maxwell's computer systems.

A computer cluster in which all the systems' Internet Explorer is set to 128 bit encryption to facilitate access to your home systems' for e-mail and other purposes is available.  In the past, this system has been the primary method used by participants to access their home systems.  However, as this cluster is also used for instruction, participants do not always have access.  A schedule will be provided during orientation.

Dial-up access from campus is not a viable option.

The Sheraton Hotel, your primary residence during the course, is 2 blocks from the primary class location.  They offer two options for participants who bring their own laptops; dial-up and Ethernet (high speed) access.

Dial-up access to 800 numbers is limited to 1/2 hour periods, after which standard long distance charges apply. 

Ethernet access requires an Ethernet card already in your laptop and software available from the Sheraton front desk for $5.95.  Once installed on your laptop, assuming the machine's configuration can be changed without administrator privileges, it provides a high speed connection at no charge, assuming you have an Internet Service Provider (ISP), according to Sheraton staff. 

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Optional Activities:

If interested in golfing at Drumlin's Country Club we do encourage you to bring your own golf clubs. Rentals are limited. To make arrangements to play contact Sue Virgil at (315)443-9920 or e-mail smvirgil@maxwell.syr.edu.

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