Outgoing Mail

Departments sending official University mail are responsible for proper preparation of all letters, flats (large flat envelopes), and parcels to addresses off campus.

Our mailing machine will seal top flap envelopes if the flaps are open or nested.

Each department should separate and band all mail into three categories:

  • Interdepartmental Mail
  • Outgoing U.S. Mail
  • International Mail

Due to strict regulations put forth by the United States Postal Service, Mail Services cannot allow any University personnel to mail University-metered mail themselves, i.e., you cannot ask mail services to meter your mail and then take it to the nearest mail box or Post Office. This is because the last pick up of the day may have already been made and the next one will be on the following day. The USPS, to maintain its own delivery goal of one-day delivery in Greater Boston, will not accept a letter which has yesterday's date on it.

When receiving such "stale-dated" mail, USPS has three actions to choose from:

  • First, they will notify us that we forgot to change the meter date;
  • Their second action, taken after multiple warnings, is to return all such pieces and require Mail Services to re-meter them with the proper date;
  • Finally, if the warnings and the time wasted in re-metering haven't had the desired effect, USPS will revoke the University mailing permit. The fact that the problem may not have been caused by Mail Services will not deter the USPS from canceling our mailing privileges.

Outgoing mail prepared for the USPS is picked up Monday-Friday at 73 Tremont at 12:00 p.m. If you cannot make it by this time, your mail will be sent the following business day.

Personal mail received with no postage will be returned to sender. For your convenience, stamps can be purchased at the State House Post Office.