Campus Mail Policies and Procedures

The purpose of WCU Campus Mailing Services is to provide efficient distribution of the US Postal Service and inter-departmental mail for University departments. Only official University mail and mail from independent organizations, both student and non-student, recognized by the University may be distributed throughout the campus mail system. Mail for personal or private purposes is not eligible for postage-free distribution. The University cannot pay any postage for mail from independent organizations. Campus Mailing Services is managed and provided by the WCU Print Shop.

STUDENTS:
Please visit the Residential Living mail site for addressing information and instructions, or call 828.227.3241.

DEPARTMENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF:
For more information about Campus Mailing Services, please contact us at printshop@wcu.edu, or call 828.227.7159. To send mail to the University, you must use the official USPS address in the format listed below. Campus Mailing Services is for departments, faculty, and staff only.

 

Procedures

PICKUP AND DELIVERY:

For buildings with mail kiosks, please utilize your kiosk as signed by Campus Mailing Services. If you have a departmental update, move, or change, please contact Campus Mailing Services at printshop@wcu.edu or 828.227.7159 so that your kiosk can be appropriately updated. If your building does not have a kiosk, your mail carrier will work with your department on deliveries and pickups as appropriate. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions or special needs for any shipment.
*Please note: We do not pick up UPS or FedEx packages!

MAIL PREPARATION:

To assure efficient processing of the University mail, please prepare outgoing mail in accordance with the following procedures and instructions.
how to properly adress a letter or package

All outgoing mail must:

1. Be separated by classification
2. Have fund number on envelopes and packages for billing purposes
3. Have all envelopes turned in the same direction
4. Be bound by rubber band or binder clip

CLASSIFICATIONS:

US Mail

United States Mail which is to be processed through the University postage meter and transferred to the US Post Office must be placed in a separate bundle. Envelopes should all be turned the same way with flaps either stacked (nested) inside of each other or sealed. The Mail Dept. can only seal letters that require postage. We cannot seal manila or large side-seal envelopes. Outgoing mail should be placed in an envelope (single or tri-folded letters have a high risk of damage by postal equipment). The bundle must be secured with a rubber band. US Mail should be further separated into bundles according to the classification which require special postage computation such as Air Mail, post cards, etc., (and if possible, different weights of mail should be separated). Mail going out of the country should always be kept separate to insure adequate postage and timely delivery.

Campus Mail

Campus mail must be prepared in a separate bundle and bound by a rubber band. When using inter-office envelopes, please fold the flap inside, or if the envelope is bulky, bind it with a rubber band. PLEASE DO NOT USE TAPE TO SEAL THE ENVELOPES. TAPE DAMAGES THE ENVELOPES FOR CONTINUED USE. Campus-wide mailings should be sorted by department, not by building or room number. Mail addressed to faculty and staff should include department name.

Other Classifications

All stamped personal or postage-paid mail must be bound separately.

UNIVERSITY POSTAGE METER:

Only University correspondence and material for official University business are to be posted by the University postage meter. Postage of personal mail by the University postage meter constitutes a misuse of State funds and is prohibited by State law.

PERSONAL MAIL:

As a service to University employees, Mail Service personnel will pick up personal mail with the proper postage affixed from the department mailbox of the addressee. However, EMPLOYEES SHOULD NOT ROUTINELY USE THE UNIVERISITY BUSINESS ADDRESSES AS THEIR ADDRESS OF RECORD FOR PERSONAL MAIL. The University Mail Service cannot assume responsibility for lost, misplaced, or delayed personal mail. Personal packages will be held in the Mail Dept. for notification and pick-up. Mail Dept. staff are not allowed to deliver personal packages.

THIRD AND FOURTH CLASS MAIL:

A large volume of third and fourth-class mail (catalogs, magazines, etc.) is distributed to University departments each day. University employees are asked to periodically review the mail they receive in these classes. When an item serves no useful purpose please request that the name be removed from the sender's mailing list.

STANDARD OR THIRD CLASS BULK MAIL:

For questions and assistance, please contact Campus Mailing Services at 828.227.7159.

POSTAGE BILLING:

The account from which to charge a mailing is determined by the return address on the envelope; or by any special instructions indicating a specific fund number to be used attached to a bundle prepared for mailing. Notification by written memo to the Mail Department of any change (addition or deletion) of a fund number is the responsibility of the accountable officer for the fund. The mail department is not responsible for keeping up with departmental mail budget account balances.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Guidelines for determining how to address mail for distribution are as follows:

• Mail pick-up boxes should be placed in an easily accessible location.
• Large mailings should not be placed in boxes that weigh over 40 pounds.
• Mail addressed to the Chancellor's home and students living in residence halls (which should be include the student's suite number), 
  may be delivered by the campus mail system.
• Mail addressed to local churches, church student centers, fraternities, and other organizations located off-campus must be posted and delivered through the US Postal Service.
• Express Mail that needs to go out after our local last pickup must be brought to the mailroom by 3:45 p.m.
• Change of address procedures is the responsibility of the individual or department not the mailroom.
• Campus mail placed in regular envelopes must be sealed. Campus Mailing Services cannot seal these letters.
• If for some reason your office must be closed for an extended period, please let the Mail Department know in advance to avoid unnecessary delivery.
• Do not use inter-office envelopes for student addresses as they cannot be recycled.
• Departments are urged not to mail single or tri folded sheets of paper. These are highly likely to jam in both Mail Dept. and Postal Service mailing equipment. This may result in the destruction of the mail piece. Departments should not use red or pink envelopes to be stamped. Our postage ink is red and may be mistakenly identified as having no postage on them. For those involved with the designing of mail pieces, we recommend that the upper right hand corner of the mail piece remain clear so that postage can be applied. An area of 1 inch high and 2 inches long will be needed. As always, any questions, comments, or suggestions may be directed to the Mail Department.