Shipping and Receiving

Cluster staff is able to help with shipping via DHL, FedEx, and USPS. We are not authorized to ship via UPS. All UPS shipments must be coordinated through Addressing and Mailing Services.

Shipping Requests

In order for Cluster staff to ship packages or mail for you via DHL, FedEx or USPS, please take the following steps:

Fill out a Shipping Request Form. Including a phone number for the recipient is necessary.

It is important to include a chartstring and justification for the shipment charge. If you have questions about either of those, please reach out to Cluster staff at stpadmin@umn.edu.

Staff will create a shipping label and arrange for pickup upon receiving your completed shipping request form.
Staff will email you your shipping label. You can email stpadmin@umn.edu with any questions.
Place your package on the outgoing packages table in the lobby of Gortner Laboratory.

FAQ's

When will my package be sent out?
- This depends on the carrier you choose. DHL will typically pick up same day, FedEx Express will pick up same day but FedEx Ground is picked up the following business day, and USPS is picked up when the mail is delivered, typically before noon.

Where can I get shipping supplies to send my shipment?
- The Cluster Office stocks shipping label envelopes, packing tape, dry ice stickers and different sized shipping envelopes that are both padded and unpadded. We do not stock boxes or bubble wrap, which you will have to source yourself.

I need to send a small letter, can you help with that?
- The Cluster Office stocks Forever Stamps and International Stamps that can be used to mail small letters.

I need dry ice to ship a package, where can I get that?
- The Cluster stocks a large blue cooler with dry ice in the basement of Gortner Laboratory. You will need to check out the dry ice key from Gortner 140 and bring your own hammer to take dry ice. After getting your dry ice and returning the key, you will need to provide the front desk staff with your lab, department, an EFS chartstring and the weight of dry ice taken. There is a small scale available for use in Gortner 142.

Shipping with Dry Ice

When filling out the shipping request form, indicate the overall weight of your package and the weight of the dry ice.
Dry ice must be contained within a styrofoam cooler, and that cooler must be placed in a cardboard box for shipping. FedEx will return dry ice packages solely in styrofoam and you will have to repay for a new shipping label.
A dry ice sticker, as seen to the left, must also be placed on the outside of the cardboard box. A roll of these stickers can be found in Gortner 142. You must fill out the label completely, including kg of dry ice, shipper address and recipient address or FedEx will return the package and you will have to repay for a new shipping label.

Received Packages

When the St. Paul Administrative Cluster receives a package at the Gortner 140 office (or Ecology 101), we email the recipient's lab based on PI preferences. If you have not received an email from stpadmin@umn.edu, the package has not been delivered to Gortner 140 or Ecology 101 yet.

Please note: If your lab wants to change their package notification preferences, please email stpadmin@umn.edu.

Some carriers will route their deliveries to Talmadge, which is the University of Minnesota's central package hub. Packages delivered to Talmadge will be delivered from U Market the following business day. If the contents of the package are urgently needed, you can email ums@umn.edu to see if you can pick up the package yourself from Talmadge.

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