Revised Requirements for Federal Mail


Date: October 11, 2001

To: All Lawrence campus faculty and staff

From: Vice Provost for Information Services

Subject: REVISED REQUIREMENTS FOR FEDERAL MAIL.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has provided the university with revised requirements related to security and the handling of outgoing federal mail packages weighing 16 ounces or more.

In order to comply with the updated requirements, the following procedures will be instituted by KU’s campus mail services for outgoing domestic mail for official university business:

Campus Mail cannot accept items weighing 16 ounces or more unless they are personally delivered to Room 21, Strong Hall and handed to a campus mail employee.

Proper postage, either stamps or postage meter impression, must be affixed before items are taken to campus mail.

All items weighing 16 ounces or more must have a return address containing the KU department name and all the following information.

Name of Sender

Department Name – University of Kansas

Building Name

Street Address, Room xxx

Lawrence, Kansas 66045-xxxx



Validation. If these procedures are followed, campus mail will validate that mail was sent by a “known sender”, and the USPS will proceed with delivery of the items. Items that are left at campus mail but not handed to a staff member will be treated as coming from an “unknown sender” and returned to the KU department or discarded if no return address is provided.

In addition to using campus mail services for validation as coming from a known sender, departments can also deliver outgoing packages to a USPS retail unit. However, we have been informed that all packages that are not handed to a USPS representative will be treated as coming from an unknown sender.

International Mail. The postal service is now requiring that all outgoing international mail weighing 16 ounces or more (whether metered or mailed with stamps) must have a properly completed, signed and dated customs declaration. The necessary declaration forms, 2976 and 2976A, can be obtained from the US Postal Service.

Non-university business. As a courtesy to university staff, campus mail will continue to pick up outgoing letters that do not require validation. However, campus mail services will provide validation services (for items weighing 16 ounces or more) only for official university business bearing a university return address; mailed items with a return address not affiliated with the university will not be accepted by campus mail for validation.

Outgoing mail weighing 16 ounces or more that is for personal business should be taken directly to a USPS retail unit, which includes any post office.

Thank you for your cooperation. Any questions concerning these revised requirement can be addressed to Terri Thornton at the KU Campus Mail office, or Linda Lawrence at the Lawrence post office (785-843-1681).