Letters (not packages)

FRONT DESK OPERATIONS

Importance

“Someone has paid for that piece of mail to be

delivered” –even the junk mail.

Mis-delivering or tampering with mail is a federal

offense under the U.S. criminal code.

If the statute is violated, the convict can “be fined” or

“imprisoned not more than five years, or both.”

Handling Mail

Once mail has arrived, it is imperative that mail is

sorted and posted as soon as possible

Notes:

Only the assigned DAs, MAs, and RAs are permitted to

handle mail. (in halls with mailrooms).

Night Cat Desk Assistants are not permitted to handle

mail, they cannot accept mail nor give out packages.

Judicial Letters come from the University and are to be

handled like packages

First Step:

Check each piece of mail against the roster in Star-Rez (will be explained on

the next slide)

Make sure to write the resident’s MB# on the mail if it is not already included

Create two separate piles

Mail addressed to current residents

Mail addressed to non-residents

If a piece of mail says “[insert name] or current resident”, we need to place this in the

mailbox.

It must have a correct room number or mailbox number to be placed in mailbox

If it does not, you recycle.

Place the mail for current residents to the side so they can be placed in

mailboxes

Star-Rez Roster:

➢ Click on Last name to view Information

➢ Location= What Hall?

➢ Entry Status: In Room= Lives on Campus,

History= Doesn’t live on campus

Forwarding Address:

➢ Click on Addresses (Left hand corner)

➢ Permanent = Forwarding Address

Second Step

Check the postage for the non-resident mail and determine if

a forwarding or return service is warranted, creating two

separate piles:

Mail that needs to be returned or forwarded

Mail that can be recycled

Recycle these

Mail that is forwarded or returned to sender

If the mail says “first-class” anywhere on the envelope

Physical stamps that say “forever”

Printed stamps that are at least $.49

Mail that has one of the following endorsements listed anywhere

Address Service Requested Change Service Requested Electronic Service Requested Return Service Requested Forwarding Service Requested

Magazines and catalogs

Need to be marked return to sender (RTS) The only exception is if a magazine or catalog is considered “Nonprofit”, in

which case it is just recycled

Time OUT! How do we know if it gets

forwarded/returned or recycled?!?!?

Time OUT! How do we know if it gets

forwarded/returned or recycled?!?!?

Mail that is recycled

Any mail for students that do not live in our building and:

Is presorted standard only

Non-profit

Third Step

You now have a stack of letters that are not current residents, but require

some type of forwarding or return service.

Look up each name on Letter(S) in Star-Rez Roster(we only forward mail for

90 days after a resident moves out).

Create two piles:

Letters addressed to someone located in Star-rez Roster

Will be explained on the next slide ☺

Letters that are addressed to someone not in Star-rez Roster

You will bundle all of these (with a rubber band) and write “RTS” on

the very top piece of mail ONLY

Do NOT mark out any barcodes or part of the address

Then place this bundle wherever your outgoing mail is located

RTS Example

Fourth Step

You now have a stack of letters that are not for current residents, but names appear in Star-Rez and have postage that warrants forwarding service.

Using a CHINA MARKER:

COMPLETELY mark out ALL of the bar code(s)

There may be a faded orange bar code on the opposite side of the letter, make sure to cross this out

There are sometimes two barcodes on the front of the envelope

Mark out “San Marcos, TX 78666” as well as any other printed “78666” on the envelope

Sometimes can be found on the bottom or top of the envelope

Using a PEN and your best penmanship:

Write the forwarding address to the right or the left of the original address

Use proper format; you do NOT need to write FWD!Ex: 100 Llano Circle

San Marcos, TX 78666

Bundle this type of mail together with a rubber band and place in the outgoing mail bin

Forwarding Example

Visual Guide:

Postage

Reference

Forwarded/Returned

Recycled

Things to Note:

In case of a returned piece of mail. You sent this out,

with a forwarding address, but it made its way back

to your hall. BUT IT DOESN’T GO HERE!

It normally means that we made a mistake when

handling the mail.

Make sure all of the barcodes are blacked out and

that you have blacked out any “San Marcos” or

“78666” for forwarding addresses that are not in San

Marcos.

Ask your RD if you cannot identify what the problem is

Questions, Comments, Concerns