When addressing campus mail, please include the person’s NAME and OFFICE or DEPARTMENT. That is all that is necessary. The building is not necessary, nor is the room number.
When preparing campus mail, please have all the envelopes in an upright position, and all facing the same direction, and banded with rubber bands. Different sizes of envelopes should be banded by size.
We strongly recommend the use of Inter-Office envelopes for campus mail instead of the regular white number 10 business envelope. If white envelopes are to be used, the same preparation requirements listed above apply. The envelopes must clearly be marked “CAMPUS MAIL.” Please be careful not to co-mingle mail of this type with your regular outgoing mail to be metered. It must be kept separate.
Excess Inter-Office mail envelopes may be returned to the Mail Center at any time; simply band the envelopes by size and deposit them in the drop chute marked for that purpose, or turn the in at the Service Window. Be sure that they are empty before you turn them in.
The Mail Center maintains a generous supply of mailing trays and tubs for the purpose of assisting offices and departments when preparing large mailings. Please come to the Mail Center and request these items in advance before you begin to prepare your mailing. Oftentimes we will be able to give you some advice and/or “pointers” that will make the job easier for you.
If the mailing is to all of the Offices and Departments, the items must be submitted and banded by DEPARTMENT (i.e., all BIOLOGY together, all REGISTRAR together, all TREASURER together, etc.). The Data Center can run the labels you need in this type of order, so all you have to do is band the groups as you apply the labels, so the mailing will keep itself in order as you go along preparing it.
If the mailing is to all the Resident Students, it must be metered/stamped and sent through the U.S. Postal Service.
Once again, please avail yourselves of the supplies that we keep on hand to help you with large mailings, as they will make the task of preparation a lot easier. If you are distributing a small to medium size booklet, ask yourself, “Does this really need to be put in an envelope?” Maybe it would be just as easy to put the label directly on the booklet. Here is a final helpful hint: When preparing a large quantity of identical items, especially if these have to be inserted in envelopes, it is a good working rule of thumb to do all the stuffing and sealing of the envelope/tucking the flap in, if necessary, first, and PUT YOUR LABELS ON LAST; then, tray the mail as you put the labels on. This will make it much easier to keep the mailing in proper order if it is necessary to do so.
The Mail Center has a mailing machine that will seal envelopes up to, and including a number 10-business size envelope. Larger envelopes such as manila envelopes, 6x9, 9x12, etc., must be sealed manually by the sender. Sometimes, depending on the enclosure(s), it is just as quick and easy to turn the flap under. When in doubt, bring a sample piece of what you wish to mail to the Mail Center, and one of the Mail Center staff can advise you as to the proper way to proceed with the mailing.
Mail With Stamps Already On It/ Outgoing Business Reply Mail Envelopes with stamps already on them, and Outgoing Business Reply Mail, (this type of mail always says “No Postage Necessary…” in the upper right hand corner where you would normally put a stamp) should be sealed, banded, and deposited in your mailbox, separate from your Campus Mail and regular Outgoing Mail, or it can be deposited directly into any United Postal Service Mailbox. DO NOT co-mingle mail of this type in with other mail that has to be metered; otherwise, unnecessary postage will be applied, and thereby, wasted.
Beginning the summer of ’03, a Postage Requisition must be submitted with all mail that is to be metered, whether it be one letter, a bundle of letters, or a tray of letters. These requisitions must include the following information concerning the letter(s) to be mailed
- Date
- Department
- Authorized Signature
- Six digit organization number (i.e. 555002)
- Number of pieces being mailed
- How the pieces are to be mailed
The purpose of these requisitions is to give you a better accountability of the postage that you are spending during the course of the Fiscal Year. The requisitions themselves will remain on file in the Mail Center for the entire fiscal year for which they are applicable. When preparing large mailings, there is usually a total figure given at the end of a run of your computer name and address labels; this total figure would be the total number of pieces that you are mailing. If there is no total figure, the Mail Center can help you estimate the total number of pieces that fit into a standard mail tray, and provide you with an accurate figure after the mailing has been processed. It is not as difficult to determine the total number of pieces in a large mailing as one may think, but, if you are going to prepare one, remember to get your supplies (i.e., mail trays, etc.) from the Mail Center in advance, before you begin to prepare your mailing. It will make your job of preparation a lot easier! The Postage Requisition forms are available at the Mail Service Center, and the Mail Center Staff will be happy to assist you in completing the forms with the information that is necessary for the processing of your mail.
Envelopes presented for metering should be banded by size. The purpose for this is so that the envelope seals completely and properly when it is run through the mailing machine. Please do not co-mingle different sizes of envelopes, as your letter, check, etc. runs the risk of being damaged when being processed by the mailing machine. For the envelopes to be properly sealed, they also must be “flapped”. This means bundling or traying the envelopes so that the flap of one envelope rests underneath the flap of another one.
This is essential for the machine to seal the envelope properly. If you have any questions about this, please contact the Mail Center and a staff-member will be happy to show you how to “flap” your envelopes. Please do not try to send sharp items such as keys or key rings or bulky items such as audio cassettes in regular paper envelopes. These items cannot be “metered” as such through a mailing machine as a regular letter can. Their Flap Envelope bulkiness can damage the equipment as it will the equipment of the Postal Service. These items are known as “nonmachinable pieces”; their very weight disqualifies them from being sent at the normal letter weight, so the postage costs are more to send them. Since the postage is going to cost more anyway, it is better to send them in a padded envelope that will not tear or fall apart once the item gets into the U.S. Postal Mail System. The Mail Center stocks various sizes of padded envelopes for this purpose. If an office or department is going to do a special mailing that requires a special size padded envelope, please contact the Mail Center in advance so that the proper sized envelope can be ordered.
As was mentioned earlier, the mailing machine will automatically seal envelopes that are “flapped”, up to and including a size number 10 envelopes (normal business letter size). Oversize envelopes must be sealed manually, or depending on the enclosure(s), the flaps may be tucked in. When in doubt, contact the Mail Center. Again, please keep in mind that the Mail Center has an abundance of supplies (trays, tubs, etc.) that you should avail yourself of in advance of preparing any large mailing. If you have a large mailing to prepare, and are in doubt as to how to proceed, again, please contact the Mail Center Staff, and we will be happy to advise you and to assist you in getting started.
Mail Being Sent to a Foreign Country
Mail being sent to a foreign country should be banded separately from your other mail AND clearly marked (i.e. yellow post-it note). The reason for this is that a different rate of postage is required for foreign mail. If this mail is mistakenly co-mingled in with your regular outgoing mail, and the Mail Center Staff does not “catch” this error when the mail is being metered, insufficient postage will be applied to the letter, and the letter will be returned to the University due to insufficient postage, thus delaying the processing and delivery of your letter. Regular letter size pieces of mail should therefore be banded separately and marked “Air Mail”. Canada and Mexico, although they are out immediate neighbors, are to be regarded as foreign countries, as they have their own specific postal rates with regards to mail coming to them from the United States. Conversely, mail going to territories and/or possessions of The United States, such as the American Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and Puerto Rico, can be sent at the regular domestic postal rates. This mail is easily distinguishable, as it will have a regular five-digit zip code as part of the address. Again, when in doubt, please contact the Mail Center for assistance.
If you desire a special postal service on an article of mail, the service desired should be written on the article (i.e. envelope, package, etc.). Please hand the article in at the service window, and specify to the person accepting it the service that you desire. Do not merely deposit the article into the drop chute. Ideally, articles of mail that require special services should be written up on a separate postage requisition, the appropriate service being designated on the requisition. In the following is a brief description of the most commonly used Postal Services:
(usually with Return Receipt) Certified Mail is always sent First Class. It is utilized when sending a document or letter that is of some significance or importance, but does not actually have a monetary value itself. By utilizing the “Return Receipt”, the Sender of the item has signed proof that it was received by the Addressee. The use of Certified Mail is restricted to Domestic Mail.
Insured Mail may be sent at different classes, and insured for any amount up to, and including $5000.00.
Express Mail Service is available to many, many areas within the United States and also around the world. Domestically, there are some geographic areas that receive “Second-day Service” instead of “Next-day Service”. Globally, some foreign countries have certain restrictions with regards to Express Mail; many of these countries receive “Second-day Service”.
Additional information on Express Mail as well as supplies for it (envelopes and labels) are available at the Mail Center. Additional information on all of these services described above as well as the necessary forms required to utilize them is available at the Mail Center.
The following is a brief description of the most commonly used Classes of Mail:
First Class Mail is the most common and most widely used class of mail. It is the normal class of mail everyone uses to pay their bills, send birthday cards, etc. Heavier pieces of First class Mail (weight exceeds 11 ounces), are referred to as “Priority Mail”.
Third Class Mail is any mailable matter that weighs less than 16 ounces. The rates for First Class Mail and Third Class Mail are the same for the first 4 ounces of weight; for weights above 4 ounces, the Third Class rates are less than the comparable First Class rate would be. Mailable matter that weighs 16 ounces or more becomes Fourth Class Mail, which is more commonly referred to as “Parcel Post”.
Fourth Class parcels cannot weigh more than 70 pounds, or be more than 108 inches in length and girth combined.
Book rate is a very economical way to send books, catalogs, and printed material. Printed sheet music, films and sound recording also qualify for this special rate; delivery in the local area is usually effected within a few days.
Library Rate is used to mail educational, cultural, and scientific items at a specially reduced rate; the rates for this category are even more economical than “Book Rate”. The “Library Rate” can be used only when mailing materials such as those described above under “Book Rate” to or from an education, cultural, or scientific institution, or a qualified non-profit organization. Book Publishers and Distributors may mail books to schools, colleges, universities, and public libraries at the “Library Rate”. However, schools, libraries, etc., cannot use the “Library Rate” to return books to a publisher or distributor; they could be returned at the regular “Book Rate”.
With the exception of normal letter-size First Class Mail and Post Cards, all pieces of mail submitted for processing must bear an endorsement which specifies at what class or rate the piece is to be sent. For example, heavier pieces of First Class Mail (Priority Mail) should be marked “First Class” or “Priority Mail”. Similarly, pieces of mail that are to be sent Third Class, Book Rate, or Library Rate must be clearly marked “Third Class”, “Book Rate”, or “Library Rate” respectively. It should not be assumed that all mail is automatically sent “First Class”; this becomes quite costly for the University, especially when heavier pieces of mail are involved. On the contrary, if the class or rate desired is not specifically marked on the article of mail that is submitted for processing, the article of mail will be processed and sent at the most economical rate for which it qualifies.
There are three(3) kinds of “Bulk Mailings” which are regularly used here at the University. What follows is a description, and the Postal Requirements for each kind:
First Class Bulk Mail is sent at the normal First Class/Priority Mail Rates. The requirements are as follows:
- 200 piece minimum
- All pieces must be identical in size, shape, weight, etc...
- Ascending zip code order of addresses is not required.
- Mail tray must be presented to the Mail Center Department; the Mail Center will complete the necessary paperwork for the mailing, and take it to the Post Office.
- A sample of the First Class Bulk Mail Indicia appears below. This indicia is placed in the upper right hand corner for each piece being mailed, where you wouldnormally place the postage stamp. This indicia may be printed on the article being mailed when the article is being printed up at the University Press. The Mail Center also has rubber stamps of this indicia which you may stamp on the article yourself if you so desire. Here is a sample of the indicia necessary for a First Class Bulk Mailing:
First Class Presort Bulk is First Class Mail, which can be sent at a discounted rate if it meets certain qualifying criteria. To qualify for the Presorted rate, each piece must be in a group of 10 or more pieces sorted to a direct 5-digit zip code, (i.e. 10 or more pieces going to zip code 19102). The piece may also be sorted into a group of 50 or more pieces sorted to the same 3-digit zip code prefix, (i.e. 50 or more pieces going to various destinations within the “190nn” range). Mail must be sorted into the 5-digit zip codes to the extent possible. Any mail that does not qualify for these two(2) categories is sent at the regular First Class Rate, and does not receive any discount. The ability to realize savings using Presort First Class Mail depends largely on the make-up of your mailing list. If there is a large volume of mail going to a specific geographic area, then you would probably benefit by using the Presort process. If your mailing is fairly diverse without any substantial amount going to specific areas, then you would probably not benefit from using the Presort method. If you are unsure how to proceed, please contact the Mail Center before you begin to work on your mailing so someone can look over your list, and advise you on whether or not the Presort method would be beneficial to you. A Presort First Class Bulk can usually be processed and sent out by the Mail Center within 24 to 48 hours of it being received. The basic requirements for a First Class Presort Bulk are as follows:
- 500 piece minimum
- All pieces must be identical in size, shape, weight, etc. The weight of the piece may not exceed 11 ounces.
- Ascending zip code order of addresses IS required.
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The Computer Resource Center can run your address labels in ascending order if you request it. Be sure to keep your mailing in ascending zip code order when applying the address labels to the letters that you are preparing.
- Mail must be trayed and presented to the Mail Center; the Mail Center will do the necessary bundling, complete the paperwork for the mailing, and take it to the Post Office.
- A sample of the First Class Presort Bulk Mailing Indicia appears below. This indicia is placed in the upper right hand corner of each piece being mailed (where you would normally place the stamp). This indicia may be printed on the article being mailed when the article is being printed at the University Press. The Mail Center has in stock number 10 size envelopes with the Presort Indicia pre-printed on them; in addition to this, rubber stamps with the indicia are available so you may stamp the article yourself, if you so desire. Here is a sample of the indicia necessary for a First Class Presort Bulk Mail:
Third Class Bulk Mail, (Non-Profit)
Third Class Bulk Mail, (non-profit) is a very economical way to send mail, and substantial savings can be realized by utilizing it. Since the mail is being sent at a substantially reduced rate than First Class, delivery time is not effected as quickly as First Class Mail would be. The normal delivery time span for this type of mail can be anywhere from 10 to 14 days from the time that it is mailed; however, we have been experiencing delivery of same, especially in our local area, in about 7 to 10 days. Third Class Bulk Mail is an excellent way to send mail that is of a general informational content, and to send general announcements of upcoming events. If the mailing is relative to a specific dated event, it is advisable to send the mailing out at least three(3) weeks prior to the anticipated reply date. This should allow a reasonable amount of time for your delivery, as well as time for your replies to come back. Third Class Bulk Mail is prepared much the same way as a First Class Bulk Mailing; it is sorted and bundled by zip code, and finally, sacking it by zip code. The Mail Center does all of the bundling and sacking. Additional savings can be realized when you have high concentrations of mail going to a specific geographic area, especially local areas. Again, if you have any questions concerning this process, feel free to contact the Mail Center with any inquiries. A Third Class Bulk Non-Profit Mailing can usually be processed and sent out within 24 to 48 hours of its being receives. As with the First Class Presort Mailing, it is advisable to contact the Mail Center in advance of beginning your mailing so that we can assist you in getting started with your project, and also give you trays and any other supplies you may need. Please remember that the key difference between First Class Presort Bulk and Third Class Non-Profit Presort Bulk is the time element. Third Class Non-Profit Bulk is more economical, but takes additional time, however, if you plan well enough in advance, and work within the time element, you can still utilize this class of mail, and realize substantial savings in postage. The basic requirements for a Third Class Bulk Mailing (Non- Profit) are as follows:
- 200 piece minimum
- All pieces must be identical in size, shape, weight, etc...
- Ascending zip code order of addresses IS required.
The Computer Resource Center can run your address labels in ascending order for you if you request it. Be sure to keep your mailing in ascending zip code order when applying the address labels to the letters that you are preparing. In order to make preparation work easier for you, it is a good idea to make the label application the FINAL part of the preparation process.
These procedures and guidelines are offered in a spirit of mutual help and cooperation. This mutual endeavor will enable us to better serve you and meet your needs, as well as provide you with the best possible economic and efficient postal services available.