For many students living on Main Campus, to use Amazon Prime two-day shipping really means to wait several extra days. At least, that is what happened to undeclared freshman Taryn Atmore’s roommate in 1300 Residence Hall.
In July, the United States Postal Service sent a letter to Temple stating the mail company would no longer deliver packages to each location on campus, but instead deliver them to only one location for Temple to then sort and deliver itself.
Because of this, Temple’s Office of Housing and Residential Life had to take over that step in the delivery process, so UHRL staff now sorts and delivers all of the university’s packages.
When students receive notification from their delivery service that the package has been delivered, it often takes multiple days before the package is ready for pickup in their residence hall.
“The Postmaster General for our region determined that, starting this semester, the United States Postal Service would no longer deliver directly to Temple residence halls,” Director of Residential Life Kevin Williams wrote in an email to students living in residence halls. “The university unsuccessfully argued against this change.”
Williams said in the email that Temple implemented a centralized mailing system and is exploring different and more effective ways of getting mail into the residence halls.
“My roommates, they’re having some trouble [getting packages],” said Avery Mathews, a freshman advertising major. “My one roommate has gotten a lot of packages but hasn’t had any problems, but the other, he’s had problems [with packages] numerous times already.”
“He’s gotten three things, and they’ve gotten mixed up all three times,” Mathews added. “It was sent to another guy with the same name on campus. Another time it was just lost in the building.”
Matt Day, a freshman music technology major living in Morgan Hall, started a petition last week to pressure the university into changing its delivery system. The petition has more than 150 signatures from students across Main Campus.
“[The mailing system] is extremely hindering for students that are waiting for books and important school supplies,” Day wrote in the petition. “It is also unfair for students that paid extra for something to be delivered next-day or in two days.”
“We do not want this new mailing process to continue to cause students trouble, and frustration,” Day added in the petition.
“I just don’t understand why the postal service treats us differently because we’re an organization,” freshman journalism major Christian Hibbard said. “We’re multiple blocks apart. Why can’t they deliver to Morgan and [Johnson and Hardwick]?”
Williams recommended in his email to students that they choose UPS or FedEx mailing systems instead of USPS, to speed up the process. Williams added that if students are ordering from Amazon, they can use the Amazon Locker in 7-Eleven on Liacouras Walk to pick up packages.
Director of Facilities Bill Jalbert was unable to be reached for comment.
Daniel Berry, a sophomore civil engineering major and resident in Morgan Hall North, said he has been waiting several days to receive a textbook he needs for class.
“You’re going to have to wait at least a week once your package gets on campus,” Berry said. “If you have overnight shipping, it’s really overnight plus seven days.”
Gillian McGoldrick can be reached at gillian.mcgoldrick@temple.edu.
Editor’s note: Gillian McGoldrick is a resident assistant for University Housing and Residential Life.
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