Mail

2.5 hours credit (per week)

This shift is done every day throughout the week.

Every day:

  • Bring in the mail and packages daily, if it has not already been brought in. Mail usually arrives between 1pm-5pm. UPS usually shows up twice, once around noon and once around 7pm.

  • Sort the mail into the cubbies. (Bills and stuff for “resident” should go in the House Manager box.) Cubbies are arranged alphabetically by last name.

  • For large items and packages, put a green or yellow "you have a package" tag in the cubbie and stash the package somewhere not underfoot (on the desk or above the cubbies). If you bring in a package, track it on the package tracking sheet behind the mailroom door. Other people should also be tracking the packages that they bring in from UPS or Fedex. This is meant to help better track missing packages.

  • For mail or packages belonging to past residents, you have 4 options (See below sections for additional detail):

  1. Forward the mail. This is required for the 2 semesters after a resident moves out if a forwarding address is provided, or when a resident is away for a period of time (ex. summer) but will return shortly (ex. the following fall). Only "first class" mail is able to be forwarded by UPS.

  2. Save the mail. This is required for the 2 semesters after a resident moves out. Afterwards, the mail can be recycled. "Saved Mail" can be found in the "Saved Mail" bin under the last name of the past resident. Junk mail (magazines, advertisements, etc.) do not need to be saved due to space constraints.

  3. Return to sender. This is for first class mail that belongs to a past resident beyond 2 semesters.

  4. Recycle the mail. This is typically done if the mail belongs to a past resident beyond 2 semesters and is not first class mail or for advertisements and junk mail for past residents within the 2 semesters save mail period.

Weekly:

Saving mail (is required for 2 semesters after a resident moves out if not forwarding address is provided):

    • Saved mail can be found in the "Saved mail" bin, arranged alphabetically by last name. Or in the adjacent saved mail bin, if it has not been sorted yet.

Forwarding (is required for 2 semesters after a resident moves out if a forwarding address is provided):

    • Forward mail to past residents for 2 semesters. Only first class mail can be forwarded by UPS. Make sure to notify residents of this. Mail forwarding should be done at least once a week, and definitely no more than 2 weeks should pass.

    • Forwarding Addresses and a list of past residents by semester can be found on the shared google .doc @ https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmDXA9ov1K-XdDdxTS02cHFBTVZzQ1AxUVNZTERrX3c&usp=sharing Ask the workshift manager to share it with you.

    • Make sure that you cross out the bar code on each envelope using a black ink marker or a blank label. Otherwise forwarded mail will be returned to HiP by the post office.

      • - Some envelopes will have a bar code on both sides (front & back). In this case, cross out both bar codes. Any mail with visible bar codes will be returned to HiP.

    • Cross off with a black ink marker or blank label the HiP House address and write legibly "please forward: <insert address>."

    • Rubberband the stack together and place in mailbox to be taken away by the mail carrier.

Returning mail:

    • Stamp mail that is undeliverable (first class past resident mail) with the “return to sender” stamp that is in the drawer below the cubbies. Rubberband the stack together and place in mailbox to be taken away.

    • Make sure that you cross out the bar code on each envelope using a black ink marker or a blank label. Otherwise it may be returned to HiP by the post office.

      • - Some envelopes will have a bar code on both sides (front & back). In this case, cross out both bar codes. Any mail with visible bar codes will be returned to HiP.

    • Cross off with a black ink marker or blank label the HiP House address.

Once (or twice) a semester:

    • Make new cubbies for new residents as people move in/out. This entails e-mailing the house manager and/or workshift managers to get a list of people moving in and out at the end of each semester and tracking move ins/outs throughout the semester. Remove cubbies for old housemates and create name labels for new housemates. Cubbies are arranged alphabetically by last name. E-mail the house letting them know that the mailboxes have changed.

    • If there is room, boarders have been known to have a cubbie at the end (bottom right cubbies, non-alphabetical)

    • Update the mail forwarding sheet, including forwarding addresses and track whose mail is being saved. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmDXA9ov1K-XdDdxTS02cHFBTVZzQ1AxUVNZTERrX3c&usp=sharing

    • E-mail past residents a few weeks before their 2 semesters of forwarding/saved mail ends if they still have saved mail notifying them of future mail shredding/recycling. If you're extra nice, extend for a few weeks/months and send additional reminders.

    • Shred/recycle old mail.