NEW PROCESS EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 4, 2024
Postage Application outsourced effective December 4
Effective December 4, outgoing mail will have postage applied by a third party vendor. By using the vendor, UBalt qualifies for a slightly discounted postage rate.
Outgoing mail can still be dropped off by noon Monday through Thursday at the Mail Room, currently located in Student Center 205, or in the locked white mailbox in the lobby of the Student Center.
The only new process is that a “postage card” needs to accompany each type of outgoing mail to indicate to the vendor how the department wants to send the mail. The “card” is better described as a half sheet of paper which can be preprinted with the department’s name and billing code, and then marked as needed with the postage rate, such as “first class”.
Examples:
This is the "Postage Card", which can be downloaded. Instructions:
FAQs
Q: Do I need to complete the postage card using a computer, and then print it?
A: No, handwritten postage cards can be used. Be careful of abbreviations and words that may not be understood outside the campus setting, and make sure that any handwritten information is easily readable.
Q: What if I bring the mail to the Mail Room after 12 noon and miss the pick up?
A: The mail can then be picked up on the next business day Monday through Thursday.
Q: How will my department be billed for postage?
A: The postage vendor will send a report with amounts which will be charged to departmental postage lines as is done now.
Q: Do I need to give the outgoing to mail to someone in the Mail Room?
A: If the mail staff has stepped out, the mail may be left outside the door.
Q: What services does the postage vendor provide?
A: The vendor picks up the mail at the post office, checks the PO box, brings the mail to campus, and picks up outgoing mail. The mail is then taken back to the vendor's business to have postage applied at a discounted rate.
Q: When does my outgoing mail reach the mail stream?
A: Mail is processed in time to reach the mail stream as if it went directly to the post office.
Q: What if my postage card gets lost?
A: The vendor will return the mail to the University the next business day to determine the owner, so that a new postage card can be made. The mail will then return to the postage vendor as soon as the new postage card can be created.
Q: How was the postage vendor hired?
A: The postage vendor has a State of Maryland contract.
Q: I am concerned about confidentiality and security of the mail sent to the postage vendor.
A: Employees of the postage vendor undergo federal background checks, finger printing, drug screens and credit checks. They also have the work rules which ensure security, like at the United States Postal Service.
Q: What if I send a letter and the envelope gets damaged on the postage machine?
A: The letter and envelope, or whatever can be recovered, will be taken to the supervisor who will secure the contents and return it to the University. If the letter's contents are so badly damaged that the supervisor cannot determined to whom the remnants should be returned, whatever survives will be shredded for security. Usually the owner can be determined, and it's rare to shred.
Package Information: