H-5. Mail Services
General Information
Mail Services is located at the loading dock area of the Service Building and is under the supervision of the executive director of Facility Operations. Mail Services personnel may be reached at extension 2339. Mail Services is responsible for the pick-up and delivery of all incoming and outgoing United States Postal Service (USPS) mail including first-class and first-class pre-sort, bulk mail, library rate, business reply, express, certified, registered, and Federal Express. Mail Services also delivers inter-campus mail and all packages.
Outgoing USPS mail is processed by a third-party mailing service. The USPS guidelines, under which Mail Services is allowed to operate, require that mailing activities be confined strictly to official, bona fide university business. All employees who wish to send personal mail from IU Southeast should take it to the USPS mailbox located adjacent to the McCullough Plaza. Personal mail, whether stamped or unstamped, must not be intermingled with university mail. Incoming personal mail and packages are not related to university business and are not permitted. Mail Services is liable only for university-related packages and mail and will not be liable for any mail packages of a personal nature.
Mail Pick-Up/Delivery Times
Incoming USPS mail is picked up every business day at approximately 8 a.m. from the New Albany branch of the USPS. Outgoing mail is picked up each business day at Mail Services by a third-party mailing vendor at approximately 3 p.m. for delivery to the USPS. Mail Services picks up and delivers to all campus buildings daily, and all departments within each building are covered. Morning deliveries include Knobview, Ogle, Hillside Hall, Library, and Housing. Afternoon deliveries include University Center North and South, Activities Building, Child Care, Physical Science, Life Science, Crestview, and Hausfeldt.
Outgoing mail can be brought directly to Mail Services after the final pick-up has been made, but no later than 3 p.m.
Outgoing USPS Mail
The USPS offers a variety of ways for mail to be processed, including first class, first class presort, bulk, library, business reply, express, certified, registered, and Federal Express. As all university accounts which send outgoing USPS mail are charged for their actual usage, adequate planning time will ensure that the least expensive mailing method can be employed. Mailing charges will be billed monthly and charges will appear on the account operating statement. Departments will also receive a mail billing statement. Mail charges are always one month in arrears. IU Southeast customers should be aware that the rates charged by the USPS are subject to change.
The postage meter utilized by Mail Services automatically seals standard size (#6 ½ & #10) envelopes as postage is applied. Customers should place standard size envelopes in stacks with the flaps overlapping. The postage meter does not seal non-standard size envelopes; therefore, customers should seal non-standard envelopes before giving them to Mail Services for processing. Customers who send certified, priority, express, registered, air mail, or any mail that requires special handling should provide written instructions for Mail Services and rubber band the envelopes to call attention to Mail Services personnel. It is Indiana University policy that mailing envelopes contain the name of the department in the return address area. If this policy is not followed, Mail Services personnel will have to open the envelope to identify the sending department. If any customer wishes or has need for additional mailing trays or tubs, please request them from Mail Services.
International Mail
All mail must be addressed in English. All overseas mail must have a Declaration of Contents prepared by the sender. The Declaration of Contents forms may be obtained by contacting Mail Services. Please see international mail guidance on Indiana University’s Mail Services website for further information.
First Class and First Class Presort
Outgoing USPS mail is picked up from Mail Services each business day at approximately 3 p.m. by a third-party mailing vendor. The vendor processes all first class mail as first class presort mail unless the customer specifically requests treatment as regular first class. First class presort offers savings of over two cents per mailed piece under one ounce. Two business days should be allowed by the mailer for processing by the third-party mailing vendor as first class presort, versus one day for regular first class mail.
Bulk Mail
Bulk mail is the most economical way to send out identical pieces of mail if you have at least 200 pieces. Each piece must have the same contents with no variations to qualify for bulk mailing rates. Customers have the potential to realize a savings of 30 to 50 percent per piece by using bulk mail versus first-class or first-class presort. According to the USPS, pieces mailed by bulk mail can take an additional three to five days to arrive at their destination. Advanced planning is the most important factor in utilizing bulk mail.
USPS requirement to qualify for the bulk mail rate is that the address list must be a five-digit zip code verified at least once per year. This rule was established due to the large number of undeliverable bulk mail pieces that contain an incorrect or nonexistent address, which are found on many mailing lists. If it is impossible to verify a mailing list, there are two alternatives available. The first is to mail the piece at the first-class rate. The second is to have “Address Correction Requested” printed on the envelope. Each incorrectly addressed piece is charged 50 percent by the USPS. According to the USPS, the average amount of returned pieces is approximately 25 percent of a non-verified bulk mailing. Both alternatives are very expensive; therefore, having the list verified in advance is the best method. Some customers purchase address lists from various mailing services. If this is the case, the customers should always request that a 5-digit zip code verification form be provided with the list. Failure to do so could jeopardize the non-profit status that IU Southeast has with the USPS. Mail Services has prepared a very detailed packet of instructions and USPS requirements for customers to process bulk mail, which may be obtained by contacting Facility Operations.
Library Rates
Library Rates are the most economical for mailing printed booklets, bulletins, and admission information brochures pertaining only to IU Southeast.
Business Reply
Business reply is utilized when the customer wants the recipient to mail something back at the customer’s expense. Business reply mail is enclosed with an outgoing mailed envelope for the recipient to return. The customer is only charged if the recipient mails the business reply envelope back to IU Southeast. Business reply is picked up daily from the USPS by Mail Services.
Express Mail
Express mail is provided by the USPS for delivery the next afternoon or within two days. Corporate accounts can be established with Mail Services for frequent customers. Infrequent customers can also utilize this service by requesting it from Mail Services.
Certified and Registered Mail
These forms of mailings require a recipient’s signature at the time of delivery. USPS charges a fee, in addition to normal postage for this service. The signature is returned to the sender for a fee, plus normal postage.
United Parcel Service (UPS) Packages
IU is contracted with UPS through Sourcewell. Discounted contract pricing has been established, and UPS is IU’s preferred shipping partner. If another shipping carrier, such as FedEx must be used, the P-Card is the preferred method of payment. If it is not possible to use the P-Card, a PO must be established in BUY.IU and the PO number included on all orders. Contact IU Purchasing with questions by submitting a Support Form. Use the option “Requisitions” then “Something else” to submit your question.
All UPS shipments from the campus are handled by the bookstore. Departments or employees wishing to use this service should bring their package to the bookstore along with their department’s procurement card as payment is required at the time of service, including a nominal fee. It is the originating department’s responsibility to have the package prepared properly for UPS shipment. The bookstore can provide a box and/or packing material, if needed, but cannot be responsible for the actual packing of the box. Please contact the IU Southeast Bookstore at (812) 215-8808 for additional information or questions regarding this service.
Incoming Mail and Packages
Mail coming into the campus via the USPS is picked up by Mail Services personnel at approximately 8 a.m. each business day at the New Albany Post Office branch. It is returned to Mail Services and sorted for distribution. Except during peak periods, particularly on the first business day of the week and holiday seasons, incoming USPS mail should be received by customers on the scheduled delivery time of the day.
Packages are delivered to IU Southeast by various shippers (e.g., trucking companies, UPS, Fed-Ex, local vendor trucks) at various times during the business day. Mail Services receives packages from shippers, processes the packages, and delivers the packages as expediently as possible. Any department ordering materials requiring special handling for delivery should notify Purchasing at the time the order is placed and notify Mail Services well in advance of the arrival of the materials. If Mail Services personnel are not aware of the special conditions, material may sit before arrangements can be made for delivery. Departments ordering material should be very specific in identifying the exact location for delivery, as well as the person who is to receive the delivery. All orders for material should be processed well in advance of delivery by utilizing a purchase order (APO). If these procedures are bypassed, a vital tracking mechanism for delivering packages is eliminated, and ordered material may sit at the loading lock for several days before delivery.
Packages with tracking numbers delivered by UPS, Fed-Ex, RPS, etc., require a signature at the time of delivery to IU Southeast. Any package requiring a signature by a Mail Services employee will require a signature upon delivery to the addressee. The tracking number and signature are necessary in the event a package cannot be located. Packages with no purchase order number, addressee, or department on the outside of the package will have to be opened to identify the recipient. Shippers should be instructed to print the purchase order number and name of addressee and/or department on the outside label. By doing so, time delays will be greatly reduced and the need to open packages will be eliminated.
Items that are to be returned to a vendor for any reason (damaged, incorrect, misordered item, etc.) for credit or replacement from the vendor, must be accompanied by a Material Return Slip, which can be obtained from Mail Services. Material return slips provide documentation and a paper trail for items being returned and provide for credit/replacement being properly processed. Mail Services cannot pick up vendor returns unless a Material Return Slip accompanies the items. For further information regarding material returns, please contact Mail Services.
Personal Mail and Packages
All faculty, staff, and students are reminded that the IU Southeast Mail Service is to be used for official university business. The United States Postal Guidelines, under which the university is allowed to operate, restrict activities to the official business of the university.
Mail related to H.S.A. medical reimbursement, personal insurance claims, retirement accounts, personal greeting cards, etc. are considered personal mail and must not be sent with university mail. Personal mail should never be placed in any outgoing mailbox on campus except for the official USPS mailbox located beside the bus stop adjacent to the McCullough Plaza. If mail found in any other box can be clearly identified as personal mail and the sender can be identified, it will be returned to the sender. If the sender cannot be identified, it will be placed in a “dead letter” file at Mail Services, where it can be picked up by the sender.
Mail and packages that are not related to university business (e.g., deliveries of catalog orders such as LL Bean, Spiegel, Eddie Bauer, etc., utility bills, personal bills, etc.) should not be delivered to IU Southeast. Mail Services is liable only for university-related packages and mail and will not be liable for personal packages. Under no circumstances should an IU Southeast faculty or staff member direct the USPS to forward personal mail to the campus. If any faculty or staff member plans to be away from home for an extended period, arrangements should be made with the USPS to have personal mail forwarded to a friend, relative, or trusted acquaintance at their home.
To obtain additional information or for any questions or comments pertaining to university mailing procedures, contact Mail Services at extension 2339.