Facilities

Mail delivery schedules have changed. Please see the current route schedule for your location. Outgoing mail will usually go out the same day if we receive it before 3:15 p.m. If you have large quantities of outgoing mail please call us so we can plan to accommodate you.

Delivery & Pickup Schedule

Student Mail
Student packages are delivered to the ResLife Office package room on the south side of Barto Hall once in the afternoon. Students will be notified through their CWU email account when their package has been received and is ready to be picked up. Letter mail is distributed to the dorm halls and sorted to the individual's mailbox, typically on the following business day. There is no student mail delivery on administrative holidays.

For student package inquiries, please have your tracking number ready when calling the ResLife package room at (509) 963-1323, they can also be reached at ResLife.Delivery@cwu.edu.

Mail Stop Directory

To avoid delays when receiving mail and packages at Central Washington University, please be sure to use the proper address format.

For faculty and staff, your CWU address is:
Name
Department Name
400 E University Way
Ellensburg, WA 98926 + four-digit mail stop

Examples:
Rock Pickerson
Geology MS 7418
400 E University Way
Ellensburg, WA 98926-7418

Central Washington University
Admissions MS 7463
400 E University Way
Ellensburg, WA 98926-7463

For Students in Dorms or Anderson Apartments
For student package information, please contact the ResLife room at Barto Hall. They can be reached at reslife.delivery@cwu.edu or (509) 963-1323. Please check with the package room for current pick up hours.

All mail and packages should be addressed to your residence hall address in this format:

First and Last Name
Street Address
Hall Name and Room Number
Ellensburg, WA 98926

Letter mail is sorted to a mailbox in your residence hall while all packages and items too large for the mailbox are distributed by the package room at the ResLife office in Barto Hall. When a package is received by the university, the student will be notified through their CWU email account that their package is ready for pickup. This process can take additional time when package volume is very heavy, packages cannot be picked up before the email notification has been sent.

A few important things to remember:

• Always use the name that is in your housing profile. Nicknames, middle names, parents names, or surnames that do not match may cause returns or delays.
• There is no mail or package delivery on weekends or holiday observed by the university.
• Letter mail generally reaches the dorm hall mailbox a day after reaching the university due to sorting and distribution time.
• If you have issues received letter mail, please ask a residence hall coordinator in the dorm hall mail room to verify that your mail key matches the mailbox and name they are sorting to.
• Letter mail cannot be tracked. If it is important or valuable please consider using a trackable service.

For Students in Campus Apartments Delivered Directly by the USPS and Private Carriers - Student Village Apartments, Brooklane Apartments, Wahle Apartments, & Getz-Short Apartments

All mail and packages should be addressed to your apartment in this format:

First and Last Name
Street Address
Apartment Number
Ellensburg, WA 98926

Desktop Mail / First Class Letters & Flats (Large Envelopes)

• Identify mail with a complete return address, being sure to specify your office or department name.
• Postage charges are billed to the designated primary mail speedkey associated with the department letterhead on the mail piece. Please email Mail Services if you need to update a speedkey for the new year.
• Additional speedkeys are discouraged due to mailing equipment limitations and to avoid billing errors.
• If you are using your own design, we strongly encourage you to check with Mail Services first to make sure it fits postal regulations, and to help you determine the best way to mail it.
• All domestic and first-class letter-sized mail pieces must bear the endorsement "address service requested."
• You may complete and attach the Mail Charge Slip with your mail if your mail needs charged to a specific budget or to designate the class of mail or additional services.

Certified Mail
If you must have proof of delivery for letter mail or flats, use USPS Certified with Return Receipt.
Certified Mail Instructions

Packages
Packages should be addressed, sealed, and ready to ship. Please fill out a Package Shipment Form and include it with your outbound packages. If no service level is specified, we will attempt to ship at whichever service has the lowest rate. Packages will be shipped at the lowest cost unless a specific service is requested. Packages should be labeled with the departments return address above and to the left of the recipient's address. Be sure to use a large enough package to fit the label and postage. Packages requiring a signature or insurance will typically be shipped FedEx.

Mail Services does not add tracking to first-class and priority-mail packages. Tracking label barcodes can be requested from Mail Services if you wish to add tracking to your package and maintain your own records. Mail Services billing records do not include recipients or mailing addresses for USPS mail pieces.

Tips to Reduce Costs

• Do not include paper clips in your letters or flats! A paper clip will turn a $1.20 flat into a $4.30 package.
• Cover the clasp. A folding metal clasp on an envelope may cause the mail piece to be charged as a package or damage mailing equipment. Please cover the clasp with a piece of tape.
• Use the correct size envelope. Flats that are thicker than 1/4 of an inch that have more than 1 inch of empty envelope around the edge will be charged as a package.
• Know your USPS priority-mail packaging. Flat rate boxes are generally much more costly than "mailing boxes." Reused priority-mail boxes must have the appropriate priority mail postage regardless of age or condition.
• Confirm the address. FedEx charges about $18.00 for an address correction. USPS corrections and returns are less costly but add up quickly with large mailings.
• FedEx tracking is free, but signatures are about $5.00.

Postage is charged for services that are more expensive than first class letters and flats, for grant or self-support budgets, and for bulk mailings. We generally bill at the end of each month. To designate specific first class/desktop charges other than your primary account, provide a Charge Slip.

Supplies
Please contact Mail Services with your USPS supply requests by completing a Mail Supplies Request Form.

Please do not recycle or throw out reusable envelopes! University Mail Services encourages the use of reusable Intra-Campus Mail envelopes. Despite our efforts to keep the campus supplied with these envelopes, the demand can be greater than our supply. If you have an excess of reusable envelopes, please send them to Mail Services at MS 7402 so we may put them back into circulation. Label your rubber banded bundle of envelopes as "Empty Envelopes for Reuse" and be sure that all envelopes are empty before returning them to Mail Services.

Mailing to Centers from Campus
If you have materials that need to be mailed to any University Center, simply package and label as usual - Center Location, Mail Stop, and contact (if required). Use interoffice mail or drop at Mail Services. Mail Services will repackage, if necessary, and mail the materials appropriately. CWU Centers shipments are consolidated and shipped weekly. If faster service is necessary, please attach a copy of the package shipment form with the required delivery date.

Mailing from Centers to Campus or Other Centers
Each University Center uses USPS via the community college mailing services. In cases where materials are needed immediately or cannot be sent via USPS, the Centers are equipped with materials and trained staff to use the FedEx shipment system. Faculty and service staff will communicate with office staff on their shipping needs.

Intra-Campus Mail is generally considered mail without postage, sent from one MAIL STOP location to another MAIL STOP location. All Intra-Campus Mail must comply with Federal Private Express Statutes

. University Mail Services will not process internal campus mailings that do not comply with relevant statutes and policies. In accordance with federal law, Mail Services will only accept internal mailings from bona fide university organizations for delivery on-campus that clearly demonstrate that the subject of the mailing relates to the current business of the university. Generally, an organization seeking to use the university's internal mail system must be engaged in activities which are recognized as activities of the university.

A bonafide university organization is an organization whose functions are closely related to the traditional concerns of the university. University Mail Services may audit all campus mailings for content by visually inspecting a random sample from mailings to ensure compliance with the relevant statutes and policies.

How to Prepare Intra-Campus Mail
Intra-Campus Mail should be kept separate from all other mail and labeled as "Intra-Campus Mail" if it is not placed inside and Intra-Campus mail envelope. When using Intra-Campus Mail envelopes to send correspondence, make sure all previous addresses have been marked out to ensure proper delivery. The address you are sending to should always appear on the last line below the previous address.

Mail Services delivers to assigned MAIL STOPS only. Mail that is vaguely addressed could delay the delivery of your mail or result in having the mail piece returned to you for a deliverable address. When you are not using intra-campus mail envelopes to send Intra-Campus mail, please do not include a city, state, and zip code line in the address. This will help identify your mail as Intra-Campus mail and avoid confusion with USPS mail. A complete name or department and their Mail Stop is all that is needed to insure proper delivery.

Central Washington University uses USPS First-Class Package International Service to ship small packages to most foreign countries and US territories. The sending department is responsible for preparing packages and properly filling out customs forms while Mail Services primary responsibility is to apply postage and bill charges to the appropriate departmental account. Please direct questions to Forrest.Swinhart@cwu.edu or call (509) 963-1807.

First-Class Package International Service
First-Class Package International Service is a generic term for mail pieces that are package-size (small packets), that weigh 4 pounds or less, and that have a value of $400 or less. First-Class Package International Service items may containing any package-size item (small packet) that is not prohibited by the destination country. Packages over 4 pounds may be sent at the higher, Priority Mail International shipping rates.

Packages meeting this definition being sent to foreign countries, US territories, or military APO/FPO addresses require customs forms that can easily be completed using the USPS Customs Form Tool

.

1. Complete the address screen. For APO, FPO, and US territories, choose United States for the destination country. Enter total package weight. If necessary, please stop by Mail Services to use our scale for the total weight including all packaging.
2. Select "First Class International Service." Select choose your own box.
3. Enter package information. Select "Gift" if the item is not being sold. Enter value, quantity, and weight of each item. Select "Value under 2,500" for the exemption. Please note that the combined weight of each item listed must not exceed the total package weight entered on the address screen.
4. Confirm entries, download/print form. Email copy of label form to Forrest.Swinhart@cwu.edu

Marketing mail offers substantial savings for letter mailings over 200 pieces but requires extra steps and attention to detail. Please contact mail services if you are not familiar with the process.

• Bulk mailings must be coordinated for design standards with Graphics and Marketing, and Mail Services prior to printing. Please contact Public Affairs with any Graphics and Marketing questions.

Mailings must comply with USPS eligibility requirements for Non-Profit Marketing Mail(link is external)

• .
• All bulk-mailing lists must contain a minimum of 200 addresses.
• Mail pieces must be identical in weight and contents. Envelopes must be the same size and style, and all must contain the same number of pages.
• Mailing lists must be sent to Mail Services at Forrest.Swinhart@cwu.edu for address certification within 95 days of mailing date.
• Only addresses on the certified deliverable file (CASS Certified) may be included in the mailing. Lists with additions or edits should be sent back to Mail Services for a new CASS certification. Addresses that are not certified may be sent separately via First-Class.
• Request and use USPS Postal Trays, capacity is approximately 350 letters per tray.
• Place letters in trays in zip code order, lowest zip in front of tray to highest zip in rear of tray.
• Do Not Overlap Flaps.
• Send mailing, Design and Mailing Coordination Form, and NCOA Link CASS Certification sheet (received back with your completed address list) to Mail Services.

Please use this form any time you need to update department information regarding Mail Services such as contact person, phone number, building move, budget/speedkey change, etc. Updates should be done at least annually. Mail Services uses this information for proper mail and parcel service charges, campus wide mail distribution, and notification to departments of important mail changes. Please complete the entire Department Update Form and print a copy for your records.