Mail Services

For mail/packages to reach you, they must be addressed as follows:

[Your Name]
Smith College
1 Chapin Way, Unit Number
Northampton, MA 01063

It is very important that the correct box number be put on the envelope or package. Mail Services has received an inordinate amount of packages with the wrong box number. Incorrect box numbers greatly delays the time it takes to receive your mail and packages.

Returning students, your mailbox number is the same as last year. New students, you have been assigned a mailbox number.

To receive mail or packages, you will need to provide your mailbox number as an identifier, even though it is now a "virtual” mailbox.

Please remember that most book vendors send books out using the Media Mail mailing class. Media Mail can take up to two weeks for delivery or two-eight business days.

• All packages will be delivered through Mail Services
• After mail/packages are sorted you can pick up your items at the pick-up counter by providing your unit number.
• Mail/packages will also be put in the electronic mail lockers. you will receive an email when your items are put in a locker.
• Packages may not be left unclaimed. Mail Services cannot store packages.
• Misaddressed mail delays delivery.
• Mail services is not able to accept packages that require a signature for restricted delivery service to a recipient 21 years of age or older.  Items that would require a signature are alcohol, cigarettes, firearms/ammunition, and items of high value.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you will be off-campus, please inform banks, periodical subscriptions, friends and extended family and provide them with your new address or your permanent home address. Please contact magazine and newspaper publishers well in advance as it typically takes four weeks for address changes to be implemented.

Mail Types

• First Class Mail (Letters, Bank Statements, Etc.)
  United States Addresses: Mail Services will forward all first-class mail to your permanent address on record, if within the U.S. If you wish to have your mail forwarded to an alternative U.S. address please provide that information to Mail Services via email.

  It is the student’s responsibility to utilize the U.S. Postal Service’s “Change of Address” form when relocating from permanent address.

  International Addresses: Mail Services is unable to forward mail to international addresses.

• Standard Mail (Magazines, Newspapers, Catalogs, Etc.)
  Standard mail will not be forwarded and is recycled. It is the student’s responsibility to contact magazine, newspaper, catalog subscription service to provide their change of address.
• Packages
  All packages will be returned to sender. Students are responsible for updating the ship-to address with all catalog and online vendors (Amazon, L.L. Bean, eBay, etc.)

Mail Forwarding for Graduated Students

• Graduates may request to have their first-class mail forwarded for six months.

Mail Services wants to help the college be as sustainable as possible. Please use paperless billing or opt out of the catalog mailing list when possible. If paperless billing is not an option, please have your monthly statements and bills sent to your permanent residence, not Smith. This will help cut down on the unnecessary monthly items sent to Smith.

Many graduating students complete forwarding mail address forms. This temporarily forwards student mail until students contact all their senders and update their mailing information.

The temporary forwarding of mail is a service that does not extend indefinitely after a student has graduated. You are responsible for contacting senders to notify them of your change of address.

The USPS provides an online service for forwarding mail to your new permanent or temporary mailing address.

Note that the USPS does not recognize the 01063 ZIP code for Smith College. Using the 01060 ZIP code when filling out the USPS online form.

Personal Mail or Personal Packages: Personal mail and packages can be brought to Mail Services' Retail Window for processing.

Payment Method: Mail Services accepts cash, check or Campus Cash. College business may charged to a department's org.

Interdepartmental Charge Back Method: Mail Services charges the org on the postage order form submitted with the mail to be sent out. If a Postage Order Form is not provided to Mail Services with the mail, then the return address on the envelope is used to charge a department's default org.

If a Postage Order Form is not utilized and the envelope does not have a Smith College departmental return address, then Mail Services has the right to open the envelope to identify a department to charge.

Tracking Postage Charges: The Mail Services Postage Order Form is the only method for tracking postage charges. If your department opts not to use Postage Order Forms, then Mail Services cannot substantiate your department's postal charges.

Campus Mail vs. Outgoing Mail: Please keep outgoing mail separate from campus mail. The campus mail is for delivering official college communications. Mail in your department to be picked up by the college mail truck and that exceeds the 5 bucket, letter trays, box or 50 lb. limit, must have a special pick-up. To arrange for a special pick-up, please submit a work order to Facilities Management via Teamworks.

Campus Building Addresses (Excel doc)

First-Class Metered Mail: This service is used for Smith College business correspondence. Mail Services will not process any personal mail. Any Smith College business item that can be mailed can be sent via first-class mail. This includes postcards, letters, large envelopes and packages. Any piece over 13 ounces will be sent as priority mail.

First-Class Mail Presorted: First-class presorted mail gets processed the same as first class mail, but at a discounted rate.

• For a mailing to qualify for first class presort service, the mailing must meet the minimum of 500 identical pieces.
• The entire mailing must be in sequential zip code order, from lowest to highest, in the mail trays, before being sent to Mail Services.

Nonprofit, Standard, Library & Media Rate Mail: These are various discounted rate mailing options primarily used for books, magazines, newsletters and production (bulk) mailings. Departments can obtain substantial savings by using any of these options.

• Plan ahead with your mailings by allowing a few extra days for the material to reach its destination, versus the more costly first-class option.
• Automation of a nonprofit or production (bulk) mail has a 200 piece minimum.

Nonprofit: Eligibility to use nonprofit rates is based on the eligibility of the content of the mail piece. Mail classified as Nonprofit Standard Mail must meet the general standards for Production Mail.

• Prohibitions and restrictions: Nonprofit prices are not permitted for mailing promotional material, for credit cards, and promotional material for commercially available insurance and travel arrangements.

Media Mail: Media Mail service is a cost efficient way to mail books, sound recordings, CD's, DVD's, and printed music. Media Mail cannot contain advertising except for incidental announcement of books. The maximum weight for this service is 70 pounds.

Library Mail: This service can only be used for items on loan from or mailed between academic institutions, public libraries, museums, and other qualified organizations.

• The content is limited to books, sound recordings, academic theses, and other certain items.
• The name of the school or nonprofit organization must show in the address, or return address of each mail piece.

Certified Mail & Return Receipt: This service provides you with a receipt for proof of mailing and a tracking number.

Registered Mail: This service provides the maximum protection for valuables, particularly useful for overseas mailing.

Express Mail: This service offers overnight delivery to many destinations within the United States. Express mail is delivered to many locations 365 days a year.

Priority Mail: Priority Mail is an expedited service. It is usually two to three days for delivery, though there is no guarantee. Priority Mail is required on any mail piece that weighs more than 13 ounces.

• Mail Services carries many Priority Mail shipping envelopes and boxes in many different sizes. Please feel free to call and check availability.

Please provide two copies of forms to Mail Services if you would like one returned for your records.

Services include: First Class, Priority, Parcel, Media Mail, Library and Express Mail.

Does not provide tracking.

Custom Forms (USPS Online)

Mail Services collaborates with UMass Amherst for production mail jobs. The Production Mailing Form and mailing materials should still be sent to Mail Services.

• If the UMass Bulk Mail Center has any questions, they may contact you directly.
• Our goal is to process all addressing jobs within 48 hours of receipt of all the job materials.
• Please allow a 48 to 72 hour processing lead time for all addressing jobs.
• Submit all addressing jobs to Mail Services with an Excel spreadsheet (sent via email) and the Production Mailing Form. All job requests must be submitted by the project coordinator or person responsible for the job.

Helpful Links

• Mailpiece Design With Pricing in Mind
• Contents Requirements Nonprofit Standard Mail

Requirements

All materials must be received by Mail Services no later than noon for same day delivery to UMass. Please allow an additional 24 hours to process all jobs.

Mail Piece Specifications

• Size requirements: at least 3" x 5" up to 13" x 15-1/2"
• Thickness: no more than 1.25" thick
• Weigh less than 16 oz.
• Matte or Dull paper finish: If glossy or coated paper is used, the address block must be masked (in print terminology, this is called a knockout)
• Please remember that field names must be identified with headers. If multiple files are being used, the format and fields must be identical and common amongst the files submitted. Campus mail, Five College mail and international records must be in unique columns.
• Please remember that for mail to countries outside the United States, the country name must be spelled out on the spreadsheet.

Indicia

The indicia for Smith College is tied to Smith’s permit at the Amherst post office. Please use this indicia when creating new publications and mailings with the indicia preprinted on the material.

Please note:

1. The indicia needs to reside in the upper right corner of the address panel
2. The minimum font size is 8 point
3. The indicia can be any color, but the density must be 80 percent or higher

The software that Mail Services uses to verify addresses or address moves is call Satori. The Satori software identifies new addresses of recent moves, and helps to correct inaccurate addresses by adding missing information such as apartment numbers. This helps cut down on the number of undeliverable mail pieces.

The new USPS® Move Update Standard took effect on November 23, 2008. In a continuing effort to reduce undeliverable as addressed (UAA) mail, mailers are now required to demonstrate they have updated their mailing list within 95 days (formally 185 days) and now applies to all Standard and First-Class Mail.

The address verification service will help you meet this USPS requirement and help to ensure all your mail reaches its destination.

Please submit an Excel spreadsheet in the format below. Address Format (PDF File) Mail Services will run the addresses through the Satori software and return your Excel spreadsheet to you with information to help correct issues identified by Satori Software.

Address Check Pricing
$0.03 per address (100 address minimum)

For packages that require a customs order form, please submit the appropriate completed customs form if required.

• For packages less than four pounds use form 2976
• For packages four pounds or over, use form 2976-A