Overview
Letter mail is one of the most time-intensive processes handled by Student Mail. Every day, hundreds of letters are delivered to the university by USPS. These letters are manually sorted, sequenced, and delivered to each living community’s mailbox system. Because letter mail does not generate an automatic email notification, it is the student’s responsibility to check their mailbox regularly and ensure their address is formatted correctly.
Critical Concepts
- Letter mail is hand sorted and manually delivered, which makes it a long and detailed process.
- If a letter cannot be matched to a student’s mailbox, it is sent to a lookup bin for further research.
- If a match is found, the letter is delivered. If not, it is returned to sender.
- Students are NOT notified when they receive letter mail—unlike packages.
- It is up to the student to check their mailbox regularly and use the correct mailing address.
Keywords
- Letter Mail: Mail items delivered by USPS that are flat and envelope-sized.
- Lookup Bin: A holding space for mail that has delivery issues due to incorrect or missing information.
- Sequencing: Organizing mail in mailbox order to streamline the delivery process.
- Mail Slotting: The physical act of placing letter mail into the designated mailbox.
Prerequisites
- Mail must be addressed to the correct name and mailbox number.
- The mailing address format should follow the official UCSD template provided in the housing portal.
- Students should know and regularly check their assigned mailbox.
Steps to Take
USPS Delivers Mail
- Hundreds of letters arrive daily and are sorted by location
Hand Sorting and Sequencing
- Each letter is reviewed and hand sorted.
- Once sorted by location, mail is put into sequential order to match mailboxes.
Delivery to Living Communities
- Sorted letter mail is hand-delivered and placed into mailboxes.
Lookup Process (If Needed)
- Mail that doesn’t match a mailbox is returned to the warehouse.
- It is placed in a lookup bin where staff check for updated names or box numbers.
- If updated info is found, it is re-sorted and delivered. If not, it is returned to sender.
Supplemental Guides/Information:
- How to format your mailing address for campus deliveries KBA]
- [Map and Hours of CSC]