West Chester University Mail Manual

Index

Postal Services is responsible for processing international, domestic, and interdepartmental mail which originates and/or is destined for West Chester University units.

Departments are responsible for ensuring that sufficient fund balances exist for their department before processing any off-campus or expensed mail transactions.

Departments must notify the Budget Office to adjust the University's central account fund balance with the U.S. Postal Authorities to insure that sufficient funds exist to process special permit, metered or business reply mailings. The United States Postal Service (USPS) will not process unauthorized mailings or whenever University fund balances are depleted. Contact Postal Services before using any contracted service or business reply mail.

The use of contracted services, such as mailing houses, Federal Express, UPS, and others, is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Purchasing Office via the issuance of a purchase order, blanket order or contract number - or if authorized by the Postal Services Supervisor to utilize annual Postal Services Office contracts. See the "Outgoing Mail" section of this manual for more information.

Postal Services processes only official West Chester University mail.

Individuals may not use West Chester University Postal Services for personal mail.

Personal use of West Chester University stationery and stamps is a violation of West Chester University policy.

Chain letter distribution via the University Postal Services or the United States Postal Services is prohibited. Participation in the production or distribution of chain letters is deemed an inappropriate use of personnel and material resources, which can result in disciplinary action by the University and/or prosecution by the U.S. Attorney General.

Stamps, money orders, and other postal services are available at the customer service windows in Lawrence Center.

Postal Services is located on the second floor of Lawrence Center.

Postal Services provides once-a-day afternoon pickup and delivery service to each designated facility on both the North and South Campuses for all categories of mail. Check with your building's designated mail stop for the approximate pick-up and delivery time that affects you.

Those desiring an additional mail stop should send a written request to the Director of Accounting and Financial Reporting,  201 Carter Drive. A full time secretary or equivalent mail drop off/delivery point coverage is required before a mail stop can be provided. The use of single delivery/pick-up points within each facility is encouraged to ensure equitable and timely service to all campus buildings.

The employee mailing list provided to Postal Services is updated monthly. New employees or employees who have recently changed campus locations should notify Postal Services if they are not receiving mail at their new address within a month.

If faster change-of-address service is required, the employee should notify the Postal Services supervisor at ext. 2744 or via electronic mail immediately upon learning of his or her new mailing address.

Each department should band outgoing mail FOR PICKUP into the following bundles:

1. Interdepartmental mail

Mailing labels obtained via the computer center for campus-wide distribution of notices should be requested by DEPARTMENT NAME sequence and applied to the mail in the same sequence, and bundled by those organizations to expedite delivery.

2. Letter size U.S. mail (unstamped)

3. Other U.S. mail (unstamped)

4. Stamped mail

5. Foreign mail

6. Large or heavy items:

If a department intends to send an item weighing between 20 and 60 pounds, the department should notify Postal Services in advance so that the carrier can bring a hand truck if necessary.

Sealing Letters

Postal Services seals mailings of ten or more letter-size envelopes of the same weight. Leave flaps down - as if they are sealed. Keep banded together.

In order to ensure compliance to USPS and University regulations, submit a sample/draft of any proposed business reply mail or stationery with a printed return address to Postal Services for review and approval.  

Prior review by Postal Services could prevent inconvenience of printing costs resulting from an unsuitable format.

Postal Services delivers mail between departments on both North, South and East Campuses at no charge.

Addressing:

When sending Interdepartmental Mail, indicate the following:

1. ADDRESSEE'S FULL NAME (Optional)

2. DEPARTMENT'S NAME (Mandatory)

The department name is all that is required for Interdepartmental / Intercampus mail.

3. INTERDEPARTMENTAL ENVELOPES

Use the special manila interdepartmental mail envelopes to send campus mail. (Note: The USPS will NOT process mail in these preprinted interdepartmental envelopes. These particular envelopes may only be used on campus.)

 

Mail intended for interdepartmental delivery which is prepared in a regular envelope should be inserted into an interdepartmental envelope. This will expedite delivery and prevent the mail from being inadvertently metered and routed as U.S. Mail.

Sealing Envelopes:

Do not seal, staple, tape, or close interdepartmental mail envelopes in the manner that causes the envelopes to be torn when opened.

Large interdepartmental mailings must be:

1. Sorted by department.

2. Banded (Please use strong rubber bands).

3. Preferably kept in separate boxes, rather than mixed in the campus mailbags.

Postal Services currently does not assess any charge for the following mass distribution services:

Postal Services sorts all interdepartmental mail by department name. Reduce unnecessary costs, waste of stationery, and time-consuming sorting and preparation by Eliminating names of individuals and Personalized envelopes on mass mailings of general notice or ads. 

Mailing List Distribution:

Postal Services delivers items to specified departments.  Prepare ONE ENVELOPE PER DEPARTMENT containing enough notices for distribution by the department to all of its members.

When using computer-generated labels, keep envelopes banded together in department sequence.

Allowable Organizations:

Postal Services provides mass distribution for mailings from:

• University departments.

• University-affiliated organizations if the organization maintains an account or sub- account through the prevailing budget/accounting org codes.

• Professional organizations, if a West Chester University employee is a member or officer, and the stated purpose of the organization is related to the employee's official University duties, and the mailing is of residual value or benefit to the University.

• Postal Services does not provide mass distribution for mailings from organizations other than those listed above.

The use of electronic mail is encouraged to help reduce the large volume of campus-wide interdepartmental mail. 

Call ext. 6972 or email Moving Services to request the services of the moving crew.

PERSONAL TASKS:

Postal Services does not perform personal tasks, e.g., checking out or returning library books.

Identifiable:

Postal Services delivers incoming U.S. Mail to identifiable West Chester University addresses.

Unidentifiable:

If the address on the outside of a piece of U.S. Mail is illegible or incomplete, the Postal Services manager serves as the Postal Inspector and opens the item to determine the intended destination.

Items which are completely unidentifiable are returned to USPS. marked "insufficient address, return to sender."

Unidentifiable third-class bulk mail is discarded.

Personal Mail:

As a courtesy to new faculty and staff members, Postal Services delivers incoming personal mail which is properly addressed until the new employee acquires a permanent home mailing address.

Personal packages and postage-due mail for new employees are retained by Postal Services. Postal Services notifies the new employee of its arrival and when it may be picked up and amounts due paid.

Postage-due items for new employees are charged to the department's org number. Postal Services notifies the department of the charge. After the department collects the amount from the employee, the money is routed to Postal Services. Postal Services then credits the department's org number via the Accounting Office.

When dealing with outside mail sources, West Chester University personnel are not to indicate West Chester University as an appropriate address for personal mail.

Student Mail:

Resident students receive their mail at their residence halls. Incoming U.S. Mail is delivered directly by the U.S. Postal Service.

Exceptions:

Registered, certified, special delivery, insured, express, and postage-due mail comes to the University Post Office, which then notifies the residence hall front desk to leave messages for students to pick up their items at the University Post Office. If items are not picked up by the student within five working days, a follow-up call is made. A second follow-up is made after ten days. After 15 days the items are returned to the sender.

Commuting students may request a University Post Office Box at Lawrence Center.

The student must show a need for the box by applying to the Office of Off-Campus/Commuter Life, 206 Sykes Union, which will approve or disapprove the mail box request. Final authorization for issuance of University post office boxes rests with the postal authorities.

P.O. Boxes:

When demonstrated need exists and reasonable alternatives for mail receipt are not available, faculty, staff and students may apply for a University post office box at Lawrence Center, second floor.

Anyone applying for a post office box must submit a written application form and a signed waiver for Release of Privacy Act Information to the University Post Office at Lawrence Center.

The boxes are for nonprofit use only. Mail box holders must comply with all U.S. Postal Service and University Postal Services regulations, including any necessary response to audits regarding the user's need and use of the box. Employees may not use the University post office box as a resident address for tax or insurance purposes. Employees may not use the University post office box for University business mail when a University business address is available for delivery and receipt of incoming mail. Boxes should be checked frequently in person - not by phone - to avoid accumulation.

To Employees:

Postal Services sends mail designated for employees who have left West Chester University permanently or  temporarily to the employee's last West Chester University department. Departmental personnel determine the appropriate destination for the mail.

Official departmental mail addressed to the employee is routed to the employee's successor or replacement.

Mail specifically for the employee (not departmental or West Chester University business) is forwarded according to the following guidelines and the employee's written instructions. In cases of conflict between an employee's written instructions and West Chester University or United States Postal Service (USPS) policy, policy provisions are followed.

Not Routed To Employee's Successor or Replacement:

If the employee left no forwarding address or instructions, the department returns it to Postal Services marked "Terminated - no forwarding address".

Do not destroy mail marked "Return Postage Guaranteed"; to do so violates USPS regulations. Return such items to Postal Services. When forwarding mail, cross out but do not obliterate the old address, and write the new address below or beside the old one.

All first-class mail that does not go to a successor can be forwarded free of charge by readdressing the piece. First-class mail can be forwarded for one year only.

Bulk mail and second-class material with address correction or return postage guaranteed should also be appropriately marked and forwarded. Second- and third-class mail can be forwarded for three months.

Forwarding to a Foreign Address:

Individuals on temporary leave may ask the department personnel to enclose pieces in a new envelope and forward the mail by air at regular intervals. Those who request this service are to provide the secretary with stamps and envelopes. University postage cannot be used for these items, and they should not be routed through Postal Services.

Printed material should be sent in a separate envelope or package from other material to take advantage of a cheaper air rate.

Mail received by surface or air is forwarded by surface without additional charge. Cross out air mail labels. To forward by air, pay United States postage at the air mail rate to the destination country. University postage cannot be used for this fee.

Mail of domestic origin, Post and postal cards and ordinary letters which do not appear to contain merchandise may be forwarded to an addressee in another country.

Forward surface mail by surface and air mail by air. Additional postage is paid by the addressee when the item is delivered. Surface letters and cards will be forwarded by air if the difference between domestic postage and the international air rate is prepaid. University postage cannot be used for this additional postage.

BEFORE leaving West Chester University:

The employee must provide the department with the following information.

• The employee's complete new address.
• The employee's agreement to pay forwarding postage on second class mail, e.g., magazines, journals, and newspapers.
• Any other special instructions.

Personal Mail:

A change of address card should be filled out for the USPS. This may be done at the University Post Office. Personal mail may not be routed to West Chester University to be forwarded or held.

LET EVERYONE KNOW YOU ARE MOVING AHEAD OF TIME.

For example:

West Chester University personnel prepare letters and parcels for delivery by the United States Postal Service (USPS) in accordance with West Chester University and USPS guidelines.

Contracted Services:

The Purchasing Office, in conjunction with the Postal Services Office, annually bids a contract with local mailing houses to handle the processing of large volume, outgoing mail that can not be handled on campus. Departments are encouraged to use this contract, for which their University Org # will be charged back for actual costs. Contact the Postal Services Office for details, ext. 2744.

United Parcel Services (UPS) is available, contact the Supply Services Supervisor for details.

Federal Express and any other purchased or contracted service must be authorized by a P-Card, a purchase order, blanket order, or a contract issued by the Purchasing Office. 

Processed by West Chester University:

Official West Chester University outgoing U.S. mail is picked up, processed, and mailed by West Chester University Postal Services. A "Request for Official Mailing" must accompany all mailings. See sample under  "Envelope Supplies" in the printed manual.

See "Special Services - U.S. Mail" for detailed description of special services that can be requested on the above cards.

Preparation:

See special preparation instructions for various classes of mail under section F and in the remainder of this section.

Addresses:

Indicate the name and address clearly and legibly using alphabetic characters and Arabic numerals.

Place the address in the lower right portion of the address area. The USPS approved abbreviations for states listed below should be used on all but very formal correspondence.

 State Abbreviations

The ZIP Code is always used. Call Postal Services (ext. 2744) or USPS for occasionally used ZIP Codes. Postal Services has two helpful publications available for reference:

THE NATIONAL ZIP CODE DIRECTORY PUBLICATION #65 is available for reference at Postal Services and USPS. It may be purchased from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402 (stock # 039-000-00252-3, catalog # PL 10/82975).

A smaller booklet, entitled ZIP CODE DIRECTORY, contains ZIP Codes for main U.S. Post Offices, stations, and branches.

Return Address:

All mail must have a departmental West Chester University return address in the upper-left corner. Do not use just "West Chester University, 19383" without a department name.

If there is no return address, and if Postal Services cannot determine the office of origin, the item is sent to the University Postal Inspector for opening and final disposition.

Mail with a home return address or non- authorized organization return address will not be metered, even if it is official business.

All University offices in West Chester use the 19383 ZIP Code in return addresses with the following exception.

Business reply envelopes, cards and labels use 19383 + XXXX (a specially assigned suffix) that must be obtained from the Postal Services Office prior to having your cards or envelopes printed. DO NOT USE YOUR ORG # on BUSINESS REPLY MAIL.

If this service is desired for post cards, and on second-,third- and fourth-class mail, place the words, "Return Postage Guaranteed", below the return address.

The dispatching department indicates the appropriate mail classification and any desired special services (insurance, registered, certified, etc.) on the piece of mail, or it may annotate the desired service on the "Request for Official Mailing Card" that must accompany the mail.

SEE APPENDICES SECTION OF THE PRINTED MANUAL FOR SAMPLES AND INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO ADDRESS YOUR MAIL FOR FASTER DELIVERY.

Letters Enclosed In Parcels

A letter may be enclosed in a second-, third-, or fourth-class package for domestic delivery without paying first class postage on the package or the letter.

Letters may not be enclosed in or attached to packages for foreign delivery unless first-class postage is paid on the entire package. It is more economical to send the letter separately.

Using Envelopes

Odd-shaped items in envelopes

Indicate "HAND CANCEL" on all envelopes containing odd-shaped items, e.g. paper clips, pens, slides, etc. These items interfere with the operation of postage meter machines.

Stapled materials may be sent if the staples are not positioned in the upper-right corner of the envelope.

Material which is bound should be inserted with the binding at the bottom of the envelope to avoid interference with the operation of the postage meter machine.

Bulky material or material that does not crease well when folded should be mailed in a large manila envelope rather than a letter-size envelope. If placed in a letter-size envelope, the sender should seal the envelope before sending it to Postal Services.

Sealing

Postal Services seals mailing of ten or more letter-size envelopes of the same weight. Leave flaps down - as if sealed - and keep banded together. Large manila envelopes must be sealed by the sender.

Postcards

To obtain the postcard first-class rate, a postcard may not exceed 4" x 6" or be smaller than 3-1/2" x 5". Larger postcards must be mailed at the standard first-class letter mail rate and the following dimensional standards apply.

USPS Dimensional Standards for Letter-Size Mail

Use the template in the printed manual to determine whether a piece of mail meets the size standards. The tip of the upper-right corner must touch the shaded area.

SEE TEMPLATES IN APPENDICES SECTION OF THE PRINTED MANUAL REGARDING DIMENSION STANDARDS FOR LETTER-SIZE MAIL.

Tri-Fold First Class Mailings

The University Post Office advises that tri-fold, outbound first class letters are frequently damaged or destroyed by postal metering equipment because of unsealed flaps or edges. Tri-fold mail is not eligible for presort discounts and the time to seal all edges and flaps typically offset the cost of envelopes. Therefore, the University Post Office recommends using envelopes for outbound first class mail rather than tri-fold letters. Avoiding tri-fold letters for off campus mailings will reduce disruptive metering equipment jams and delays in processing outgoing mail as well as reduce the risk of your mail being damaged or destroyed. If you have any questions, please call the University Post Office at ext. 2744.

Minimum size standards

Pieces are non-mailable if less than 3-1/2 inches high and 5 inches long. Pieces must be at least .007 inch thick. Exceptions Pieces of more than one-fourth of an inch thick do not have to measure at least 3-1/2 inch by 5 inches, e.g. film mailers.

Keys, identification cards, and tags are exempted from all but the minimum thickness standard.

A ten-cent surcharge is assessed for oversized and odd-shaped pieces. The surcharge applies to first-class items weighing one ounce or less and single piece third-class items of one ounce or less in one of the following categories:

200 or more items

If the department anticipates mailing more than 200 pieces, the department should notify Postal Services at least 1/2 day before the mailing.

Preparation of Bulk Mail

A machine to seal envelopes is available for departments to use (self- service) at the Lawrence Center Post Office. Postal Services will seal envelopes as time permits, but the postal staff are required to give priority handling to First Class and interdepartmental mail (i.e., these take priority over Third Class/Bulk Mail.) If you want Postal Services to seal your envelopes, leave the flaps down and the items banded together.

Fold self-mailers or folded pieces so that the folded edge is above the address. Fasten such items by staple or adhesive sticker.

Band all pieces with foreign addresses separately. (U.S. possessions are not foreign addresses. Mail addressed to U.S. possessions must include the zip code.)

Major points about third-class bulk business mail:

1. All bulk mail MUST be correctly zip coded.
2. There must be a minimum of 200 pieces OR 50 pounds of mail per mailing and identical in contents.
3. No foreign mail may be mailed at the third-class bulk rates.
4. First-class matter that is required to be mailed at the first-class rate of postage is not eligible for third-class bulk rate.
5. Rubber bands and sensitive labels (Red D's, Green 3's, Orange S's and Brown MS's) will be supplied by the University Post Office.
6. The minimum mailable size is 3 1/2 inches in height by 5 inches in length. Nothing smaller will be accepted.
7. There is no maximum size for third-class bulk mail except when mailing at the carrier presort level.

When using a mailing house for 309 permit bulk mailing, the following steps are required:

1. Contact the University Postal Services Office for 3602-N forms.
2. Forward two copies of the 3602-N form to the mailing house with each bulk mailing.
3. Request the mailing house to forward the two 3602-N forms to the processing Post Office with each mailing.

SEE "CONTRACTED SERVICES" REGARDING AUTHORIZATION TO USE OFF-CAMPUS MAILING HOUSE SERVICES/CONTRACTS.

Self-Mailers

Self-mailers addressed to foreign countries must be completely sealed on all edges. Envelopes are recommended.

Postal Services recommends that each department maintain a log of outgoing parcels. Information needed to make a claim or trace a parcel includes:

Name and address of consignee (addressee).

Date parcel was sent.

Size and type of envelope.

Approximate weight

The package cannot be traced until 30 days after the mailing date.

Addressing

Same as for all other types of mail.

Processing

Indicate mailing instructions for Postal Services in the remarks section of the "Request for Official Mailing" card that must accompany the parcel to Postal Services. Supplies of request cards are available from the Central Storeroom for use with parcels and all other types of official mail.

Outgoing parcels are subject to the following weight and size limitations:

NOTE: These regulations apply only to fourth-class parcels sent via USPS. Contact Receiving/Shipping, at ext. 2918, for current United Parcel Service regulations.

Minimum weight is 16 ounces.

Maximums:

• Parcels sent to first-class post offices (e.g., West Chester University, West Chester, Exton, or any non-rural post office) may weigh up to 40 pounds and measure up to 84 inches in length and girth combined.
• Parcels sent to rural post offices may weigh up to 40 pounds and measure up to 100 inches in length and girth combined.
• Packages classified as special fourth class, weighing up to 70 pounds, may be sent to any post office.

Parcels exceeding the above limitations may be shipped by another carrier. Contact Receiving/Shipping, ext. 2918.

Preparations of Parcel Mail:

Wrap and secure parcels with fiberglass tape. Use of heavy string is permitted, but fiberglass tape is preferred. Do not use lightweight string or masking tape. Clearly print a brief description of the contents across the front, e.g., ("books", "film").

Print "Fourth Class" or "Special Fourth