Campus Mail Services
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MU Mail Services Policies & Procedures

I. Policies:

 

It shall be the policy of Marshall University Mail Services that:

 

1)    All mail boxes must be opened by individual departments with their combination cards. Instructions shall be provided when necessary.

2)    United States postage stamps will be available for departments for University business only and shall be charged to their monthly postage bill. No stamps will be available for personal use.

3)    All payroll check bundles shall be placed intact in the mail box for the department for the individual on top of the bundle by Mail Services employees.

4)    Due to timeliness of paychecks, time sheets, and p-card statements, only full time staff shall process these items.

5)    Permits shall be maintained at the United States Post Office for Standard Bulk Rate, First Class, Corporate Express, Postage Due, and Business Reply.

6)    Standard Bulk Permit shall be made available to legitimate student organizations provided that they:

A)   Use a Marshall University return address.

B)   Take the mailing to the Virginia Avenue Post Office Bulk Mailing Office.

C)   Pay for the mailing at the Post Office at the time of mailing and provide Mail Services with a copy of paperwork and paid receipt.

D)   Comply with all Marshall University and United States Postal policies and procedures.

7)    All outside vendors who wish to have items sent through campus mail must receive approval from Purchasing, Human Resources, Payroll, Senior Vice President for Administration, or the President.

8)    All departments must notify Mail Services of possible bulk mailings prior to printing or one month in advance of mail date to insure money is available on permits.

9)    United States Postal Services mailing supplies will be available in mail room.

10) All departments must provide Mail Services with an Encumbrance number, Fund number and ORG number before their mail can be processed.

11) All mail must have the Marshall University return address with sender name, department name and valid mail code. Any mail not containing a proper return address may be returned to the department at the discretion of the Supervisor of Mail Services.

12) Any mail suspected of not being university business shall be opened for inspection and returned if not university business.

13) All departments are responsible for policing their own mail.

14) A proper return address is:

Individual’s Name

Department Name

Marshall University

1 John Marshall Drive

Huntington, WV 25755-(mail code)

15) All incoming mail with a traceable number and checks handled through MU Courier Service must be signed for by the department and initialed by Mail Services employees.

16) Before Christmas break, all mail that is to be round dated (ex. Certified, Insured) must be received in the mail room the day before the last work day. Any item brought in the last day must be taken to the United States Post Office by the department.

17)  All parcels must weigh less than 70 lbs and be less than 108 inches total (measure longest side and add to measurement around the outside of the box).

18) Mail Services adheres to United States Postal Services rules and regulations as they pertain to mail.

19) It is the responsibility of the departments to forward all mail, not Mail Services.

20) Mail Services only accepts packages from the United States Postal Service; all others go through Receiving.

21) The contents of all parcels must be provided to Mail Services so we may determine the cheapest rate to mail it.

22) Use the appropriate size envelope for the item you are mailing. Do not use over-sized envelopes to mail single pieces unless they can not be folded.

23) Departments must seal thick letter-size envelopes (greater than 1/4″ thick).

24) Bundle foreign correspondences separately. Currently, some foreign correspondence needs a signed “customs declaration” form on them. When mailing foreign correspondences, please contact the mail room for the proper forms.

25) Avoid dark and neon colors when creating postcards and flyers. The post office may refuse to mail dark or neon items (it causes problems with equipment).

26) We have many departments with the same initials or acronyms, so no abbreviations are allowed.

 

II. Procedures:

Using these procedures will help to assure that your mail is processed as quickly and accurately

as possible. A lot of your mail is processed by part-time student employees and the following will

help them to help you.

 

Incoming Mail

 

Daily United States Postal Service Mail:

 

1)    Mail is picked up at the Virginia Avenue Post Office daily at approximately 9:00 a.m.

2)    First Class Mail is usually in the departmental mail boxes by 11:30 a.m.

3)    All traceable mail is slipped for department pickup after mail is processed.

4)    All Business Reply and Postage Due mail is worked up after the mail is processed.

 

Campus Mail:

 

1)    Address mail by department, not building.

2)    Use first and last names of the person that the mail is addressed.

3)    Do not use first names only.

4)    Cross out all previous addresses on both sides of the envelope.

5)    Do not use building and room number.

6)    Keep interoffice mail and outgoing mail separate.

7)    Large mailings (50 or more pieces) must be bundled by department.

Outgoing Mail (Off Campus Mail)

Stamped Mail

 

Mail with postage already on it should be placed in the United States Postal Mail Box.  This is located

beside Drinko Library on College Avenue in front of the guest parking lot.  The last pick up is 4:15 p.m.

 

First Class Mail:

1) 1)    Please be sure that your Department Mail Code is on your mail and that your mail is not

mixed with mail from other departments or with other mail codes.

 

2)    Mail to be metered should be stacked with all pieces facing the same direction and secured

with a rubber band.  We will be happy to furnish rubber bands for your use. Separate these

envelopes from any letter size Campus, Special Services, or International mail.

 
2) 3)    We can seal your letter size envelopes as we put postage on them.  We ask only that you

have the flaps positioned up and that your mail is secured with a rubber band.

 
3) 4)    Please do not overstuff envelopes; use a larger envelope when necessary and seal.

 
4) 5)    Bundle the envelopes with as many rubber bands as necessary to make the stack of mail

easy to handle.

 
5) 6)    Large envelopes (over 11oz) and packages are sent at the cheapest rate, unless marked

otherwise.  If you want your mail to go a certain way, please indicate your desires with a note.

If you are unsure, you can call Mail Services at ext. 62485.

 
6) 7)    We stop metering mail at 4:00 pm. So time your delivery so it can be metered. First mail

in is first mail out. We suggest that you try to have it in the mail room by 3:30 p.m.

 
 

United States Post Office Special Services:

 

International, Certified, Delivery Confirmation, Priority, Express, Return Receipt for Merchandise,

Registered, Signature Confirmation and Insured mail should not be mixed with other classes.

All above classes (except for Express) go out the next day unless we receive them before 9:00 a.m.

Special arrangements for same day can be made by contacting the Mail Services at ext. 62485.

 

Certified Mail

 

The process for sending certified mail at Marshall University has changed effective Monday April 26,

2010. Now we will be processing all Certified mail as E-Certified.

You will need to obtain new E-Certified numbers from MU Mail Services and destroy all old type of

Certified numbers with the attached receipt. You will not need the green return receipt cards for

E-Certified either.

The new process is as follows:

1)    You prepare you item to be mailed as per usual, except you use the new E-Certified number on

the outside of the item.

2)    You should take the peel off number and attach it to the copy of the paperwork you kept for your

records so you will have record of the E-Certified number.

3)    You will then logon to the US Postal web site http://www.usps.com

A)   Go to the Track and Confirm section (should be on the right near the top).

B)   Type the E-Certified number in the box and hit enter.

C)   Scroll down to notification section toward the bottom of the screen. You may choose

which option you want.

1)    If you require proof of delivery – choose Proof Of Delivery

2)    If you want to know where the item is – choose Track and Confirm by e-mail.

3)    Fill in all requested information.

4)    You may request it be sent to up to 3 different e-mails.

5)    Hit submit or enter.

4)    The US Post Office will then send you the requested information.

5)    This information will be available from the US Post Office for 2 years.

6)    The information will also be available from Pitney Bowes for 5 years through Mail Services.

 

If you any further information or instruction, please call Mail Services at 304-696-2485.
 

Insured Mail

 

1) 1)    If you have something of value you want to mail, you can send it via insured mail.  The

rates for this service vary, depending on the value of the item.
2) 2)    Please mark the item or put a note on the item telling the mailroom how much insurance

you would like on it.
3) 3)    Keep insured mail separate from other outgoing mail.
4) 4)    Proof of value will be necessary when you have a claim.

 
 

Registered Mail

 

1) 1)    If you would like to mail something of significant value (passports, jewels, etc.) and would

like to insure it, you must send it registered mail.  Registered mail must be signed for and is

kept separate from the rest of the mail.  This service is quite expensive and the items must

be packaged and handled differently from other mail.
2) 2)    Please mark the item telling the mailroom how much insurance you want and that you

want the item to go registered mail.
3) 3)    Keep registered mail separate from other outgoing mail.

 
 

International Mail
Foreign mail must be kept separate from other mail and clearly marked.  Foreign mail that is

larger than letter size must be handed to a Mail Services employee to see if it needs a customs

form attached and filled out by the department.
 

Parcel Post, Library Rate, etc.
Keep separate from other mail and specify what the contents are so a determination can be made

on which class is appropriate.
 

Bulk Mail
We DO NOT prepare bulk mailings. However, we do have the supplies for you to prepare

bulk mailings.  You must have 200 identical pieces, an MU return address, and the Bulk Imprint

on the article. Any questions on bulk mail should be directed to the Bulk Mail Office at 526-9627

(opens at 11:00am).

 
Express Mail

 

 
 
  1)    Express mail is not always guaranteed for next day delivery.  Call Mail Services at

ext. 62485 or United States Post Office at 526-9675 to find out.

2)    Pick ups at the Express Mail Box are 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 4:15 p.m.

3)    The last pick up for next day service for Express Mail is 3:30 p.m.

4)    Express mail is charged to your department’s regular monthly postage billing.

 

 

 

 

 Mail Services Hours of Operation:

Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Services Offered By MU Mail Services:

Courier Services:

 

We have a courier service which goes to Teay’s Valley (Tuesdays and Thursdays only), MU Graduate College (South Charleston Campus), Higher Education Policy Commission, and the State Capital Complex (one trip) on a daily basis. Please have this mail separated into different bundles in campus mail. Courier Service mail must be in the mail room by 10:30 am.  The Courier returns at approximately 3:30 pm.

Fax Services:

Anyone can send and receive a fax through the MU Mail Services in Old Main B23.

Our Fax Number is 304-696-3232; Our Voice Number is 304-696-6644.

All transactions are CASH ONLY.  Also, you must have exact change after 4:15 p.m.

The cost is very reasonable:

 

  • To receive a fax, copy or scan —————- $ .25 per page (Don’t forget to have a cover page sent with your name and a number where to reach you!)
  • To send in the United States ————– $ 1.00 per page

To send out of the United States ——– $2.00 per