UTM post office personnel say they are experiencing difficulty with students not checking their mailboxes frequently enough along with other problems.

Students should be aware that they have campus mailboxes. All full-time (12 hours or more) commuters are assigned mailboxes in the UTM post office.

“I was unaware that students living off campus had a mailbox at UTM,” said Kacy Maxwell, a senior Communications major from Covington.

All students in the dorms have a mailbox located in their residence hall. It is important to check your mailbox because many departments use campus mail to distribute important information.

Any mail addressed to students is put in their boxes if no local address is available. For example, if mail is sent to a student who previously lived in a dorm and now lives off campus, the mail is put in the student’s campus mailbox. If a student is no longer enrolled at UTM, the mail is forwarded to a permanent address if one is available.

Packages that are sent to a student, and cannot fit into the student’s mailbox, are kept in the post office and a notice is sent to the student. A second notice is put in the mailbox five days later and the package will be returned to the sender if the package is not picked up in 10 days.

The UTM post office makes two pickups and deliveries each day. The morning “run” is between 9-10 a.m. and the afternoon “run” is usually between 1:45-2:45 p.m. The post office has two full-time staff members and depends on student workers to sort, deliver and meter mail. There are currently 88 mail stops across campus. The daily departure for outgoing mail is 4 p.m.

The UTM post office is contracted and operates like any other U.S. Postal Office. They are available to purchase stamps, small packages and postal money orders. Money orders are only available until 2 p.m. daily.

It is important for seniors to check their mailboxes regularly because senior standing and graduation information is distributed through campus mail.

If you are checking your mail for the first time, bring your student ID for verification. The post office will also advise students as to the fastest and most efficient way to send mail.

“If you have any concerns about your mail, I would be happy to speak with you anytime,” said Postmaster Gloria Adams.

The post office is open 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, and is located on the first floor of the university center. You can contact the office at 587-7790, or by e-mail at postoff@utm.edu. You can also access post office information on the office's new Web site at www.utm.edu under Quick Links.