Questions about Mail and Packages at UA

<p>Hey All-</p>

<p>Had a question about packages at UA!</p>

<p>I hear that all packages, even if you pay for a mail box will be sent to the Paty Package Center. Is this true?</p>

<p>Also, can we send anything? When It is my daughters birthday, I would like to send her flower bouquets as well as other fun things (or edible arrangements). She loves cupcakes (Georgetown, Sprinkles, DC cupcakes) and her boyfriend always sends them to her on special occasions. Will he still be able to send her cupcakes or other baked good and food? </p>

<p>Will these fragile items be messed up or ruined if sent to the school? (meaning they wouldnt take care of the packages properly?)</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

<p>That is not my understanding. I am not sure if/how Paty will be utilized now that UA has closed the USPS location in The Ferg and remodeled it to be a fully UA operated facility.</p>

<p>All students will have an address for packages (FedEx, UPS, USPS), included in tuition. The additional cost comes if you want a box rental for postal mail such as letters, cards, magazines, and other small mail items. That box will be in the new mail center in The Ferg.</p>

<p>Students will get emails to their crimson account when they have a package to pick up.</p>

<p>If you click on “rent a mailbox” and read the terms and conditions, here’s what they say. No deliveries from flower shops (pt 9) and refrigerated items covered in pt 12. Even if students do not have a mailbox rented, evidently they can still receive parcels. See here: [Campus</a> Mail - The University of Alabama](<a href=“http://campusmail.ua.edu/qrcodelink.html#receiving]Campus”>http://campusmail.ua.edu/qrcodelink.html#receiving) (scroll down to read “Students Who do not Rent Mailboxes”. All other smaller items will be returned to sender. </p>

<p>University of Alabama
Ferguson Mail Center
Mailbox Agreement & Terms of Use</p>

<pre><code>The purpose of the Ferguson Mail Center (FMC) is to provide a place for students attending the University of Alabama to receive mail and packages. There is no other USPS delivery on campus. By completing this form, you appoint and authorize the University of Alabama Campus Mail Service to act as your agent for the receipt of your inbound mail/packages for a period not to exceed that for which rent has been paid in advance.
Box holders are responsible for checking their mailbox at least once per week. All mailboxes are designed to receive flat mail in compartments of 2-1/4" H x 11"W x 16" D. All mailboxes are equipped with a 3-digit combination lock. Box holders should rotate their combination number dials after closing the mailbox door to ensure their mailbox remains locked at all times.
Information provided by the box holder will be kept confidential and will not knowingly be disclosed without applicant’s consent, expect as may be required by law or regulation for law enforcement, postal operation, or other purposes, in which case the University of Alabama will cooperate fully to the extent required by law or regulation.
Mailbox rental fees must be paid in advance. No prorating is available and no refund will be made if service is cancelled. Mailbox service will be automatically terminated within 5 days after renewal date if payment is not made. Mail received after the expiration of the rental period will be returned to the sender.
UA FMC mailboxes are for the box holder’s exclusive individual or immediate family use only. Mailboxes may only be shared with immediate family members (wife, husband, son, daughter, brother, sister). Box holder agrees not to share mailbox with other individuals not in their immediate family (cousin, aunt, uncle, etc.). Mail not addressed to the box holders will be returned to the sender.
Services being provided may not be used for any purpose prohibited by postal regulations or for any other illegal or illegitimate purpose. Box holder agrees to use services in accordance with University of Alabama rules and policies, the Student Code of Conduct and in compliance with all U.S. Postal regulations, as well as local, state, and federal statutes and regulations. Failure to do so may result in cancellation of service without notice, refund, or mail forwarding.
UA FMC mailboxes and package receiving services may only be used for the receiving of personal mail items. The box holder’s address may not be used as a business or commercial address or for any other commercial activities.
The University of Alabama’s Campus Mail Service will accept inbound accountable mail (Certified Mail, Insured Mail, Registered Mail, Express Mail, Delivery Confirmation, etc.). A notice will be sent electronically via e-mail or text to the box holder advising that these items can be picked-up at the Customer Service window.
Only mail & packages received through the United States Postal Service, United Parcel Service, FedEx, and DHL will be accepted by the FMC. Deliveries made by truck/freight lines, business couriers, office runners, flower shops, etc. will not be accepted.
Once mail has been placed in the box holder’s assigned mailbox, the mail shall be deemed to have been delivered and the University shall not be responsible for loss, theft, or damage. The University FMC is not responsible for failure of the United States Postal Service to deliver mail in a timely fashion or undamaged condition.
Postage Due or C.O.D. items will not be accepted.
Refrigerated items will be held no longer than 5 business days. If the item is not picked-up by the 5th business day it will be returned to sender.
The University reserves the right to examine all incoming mail and packages for potential threats. Box holder agrees that no hazardous, infectious, or dangerous materials will be ordered or solicited by box holder for delivery to the UA FMC.
Any packages that contain perishable items and are not picked-up within 5 business days will be returned to the sender (if possible) or discarded.
15. Box holder shall use this address structure exactly:

STUDENT’S NAME
MSC # XXXXXX
1831 UNIVERSITY STATION
TUSCALOOSA, AL 35487
Any deviation from this address structure could cause a delay in delivery or cause the item to be returned to the sender as undeliverable-as-addressed. Avoid using nicknames. It is the box holder’s responsibility to ensure all correspondents use the correct address format.
16. Box holders are responsible for immediately returning any mail items received in error or which are not addressed to them.
</code></pre>

<p>I understand and agree to all of the policies outlined above.</p>

<p>Thanks for the quick reply! Still curious about the flowers, food, etc too! :)</p>

<p>we probably cross posted - read above about flower shop delivers = NO.</p>

<p>Thanks! So All mail and packages will be sent to the Ferg…Cupcakes and edible arrangements are a yes…flowers no?</p>

<p>As long as the delivery is through the specific methods they say (USPS, UPS, etc.), I take it that anything can be delivered.</p>

<p>[Roses</a> - Send a Bouquet of Red Roses, White Roses & More | FTD](<a href=“http://www.ftd.com/29960/catalog/category.epl?index_id=product_roses&noparent_bread=1&sid=1]Roses”>http://www.ftd.com/29960/catalog/category.epl?index_id=product_roses&noparent_bread=1&sid=1)</p>

<p>I found this site where I can send flower arrangements that will be placed inside of a giftbox and shipped (instead of being hand delivered) and it will come via UPS or Fedex</p>

<p>so then I think I will be able to send the flowers as long as they are inside the box shipped from UPS or FEDEX right?</p>

<p>If your daughter joins a sorority you can have the flowers sent to her sorority house! I’m not sure how common this is for girls but I’ve definitely seen it done.</p>

<p>According to that statement, refrigerated items will be accepted and held for 5 days maximum. DS will be happy I can send him some fresh prociutto from Little Italy. lol</p>

<p>I have paid for the box. Are they up and running now? If not, when?</p>

<p>I’m needing to order textbooks to be shipped to son on campus, since he’s working on campus all summer. In the past, he’s come home before school starting, but don’t think that will happen this year. Wondering if I should order the textbooks from Amazon and have them shipped to his mailbox I just got him at the Ferg, or ship them to our house and drive them up when I go to help him move to his fall room, if they arrive in time.</p>

<p>If last year was any indicator (and lets hope the past doesn’t repeat itself) I’d say you would be far better bringing them along with you to him if you want any hope of him having the books before his class starts.</p>

<p>Yes, I don’t want 400 bucks worth of engineering textbooks to be lost in limbo. They’ll be taking the train with me if they come in on time.</p>

<p>Hmmm – Textbook (paper back) orders may be a problem. I can see some of them being 2 1/4 or less in height.</p>

<p>DS of course just ordered one from Amazon to be sent to school since he was afraid it wouldn’t make it to our house. Now I’m a bit concerned it may be considered a “letter” size and he was not planning on renting a box.</p>

<p>According to Mr. Butts (UA mail services) unless it is literally a letter-sized envelope or magazine, they will accept it in the absence of a box rental. I think you would be just fine.</p>

<p>Semi-related question: I’m shipping my belongings to UA before I move in on the 17th. Which address do I use? I tried searching around the Housing site and found this: "For the safety and security of HRC residents, mail and packages are not delivered directly to the residence halls. All deliveries are made to the Ferguson Mail Center, operated by the Campus Mail Service.</p>

<p>The Ferguson Mail Center is now open." </p>

<p>Is this address the same as the mailbox I rented? It begins with “MSC # XXXX, 1831 University Station.”</p>

<p>EDIT: Just kidding, I scrolled further down the page and found the address. Oops!</p>