Mailroom

Receiving Mail and Deliveries on the CSI Campus during the COVID Pause (updated 8/12/21)

Personal Mail 
Faculty and staff are prohibited from using the College's mail facilities for the receiving of personal mail.

Interoffice Mail 
Interoffice envelopes are to be used when sending inter-office mail. When addressing an interoffice envelope, please be sure all previous markings have been crossed out, and print clearly, use full names with department and room numbers..

Outgoing Mail 

All outgoing mail must have a College of Staten Island return address including the sender's name and department.

Note: If outgoing mail is not ready on time, it can be brought to the Mailroom no later than 2:00 pm for same day processing. Mail received after 2:00 pm will be posted the next business day.

Note: Special mailings pertaining to grant-related work or conferences must also be identified. This identification will be used to monitor usage and the charge back of postage.

Permit Mailings 

In a College wide cost reduction effort the Mailroom will no longer be sending out any mailings via First Class Mail. All departments must comply or your mail will be delayed.  Requirements for Permit Mailings include; quantity, design & dimensions, type of material included, and pre-sorting.

There are two types of Permit Mailings:  

• Bulk Mailings – not for profit – must be 225 pieces of a generic letter. Size limitations & restrictions apply  Designing Mail Pieces.
• Pre Sort First Class – must be at least 525 pieces – of a different letter. Size limitations & restrictions apply  Designing Mail Pieces.

CSI requires for any generic mail:  If the mailing is not time sensitive please accumulate 200 pieces before you ship to achieve these savings..

For either option a Request for Mailing Form must be completed and submitted with a sample of the mailing. The Mailroom needs to be contacted in advance to schedule any mailings. If you have any questions or need further guidance please contact the Mailroom at Ext. 3227

Note: A comma delimited data file must be submitted to Mailroom@csi.cuny.edu 10 days prior to mailing. Proper format for a comma delimited data file: First Name, Last Name, Salutation or Title, Company, Street Address, Unit, City, State, Zip Code. Any additional columns necessary must be approved by the mailroom.

Note: All envelopes and letterhead must be received in the mailroom Building 1M, Room 105 at least 3 days prior to mailing. All envelopes must have a return address for the department and our indicia permit preprinted, we do not accept generic envelopes.

Upon completion, departments will receive a statement with the cost of the mailing. All unused envelopes and materials will be returned to the department; however, the envelopes can’t be used for first class mailings unless the preprinted indicia is covered with a blank label.

Charge Backs
Postage expenditures including business reply, and bulk mailings are tracked, compiled, and reported monthly. Grant programs, IFR programs and outside services/groups will be invoiced accordingly.

Proper Addressing Format
The format recommended to ensure efficient handling by the US Postal Service is the complete mailing address in a block format in the center of the envelope. More details...

International Mail
Except for certain restrictions, most items can be mailed to foreign countries. Please contact the Mailroom to determine specific classification and required documentation.

Certified Mail
This service provides a mailing receipt to the sender with a record of delivery. Certified may be used on First Class Mail only.  A return receipt offers proof of delivery on certified mail shipments. The return receipt identifies the article number of the mailing, the person who signed for it and the date it was delivered.

Return Receipts
A return receipt offers proof of delivery on certified mail shipments. The return receipt identifies the article number of the mailing, the person who signed for it and the date it was delivered.

Business Reply Mail
This service enables the college to receive replies First Class mail. The college pays for the postage plus a nominal fee for the service. When preparing Business Reply Envelopes, please contact Janice Awerbuch, the Director of Design Services at ext. 2266, for design assistance due to the unique zip codes required.

Designing Mail Pieces
Mail piece design is critical in order to meet guidelines that the post office has established. The mailroom has templates and publications that can be loaned out. Listed below are some of the common guidelines that are often overlooked.

• Minimum size requirement 3 ½” x 5” and at least .007” thick. 
• Maximum postcard size 4 ¼” x 6”

Note: Failure to have mail piece approval by the mailroom could result in the U.S. Postal Service rejecting it. Even if you have mailed similar items in the past it is strongly suggested that you obtain approval from the mailroom before printing.

In the event that you need a mailing to go out First Class mail rather than at the discounted rate you need to have your Director or above contact Andrew Diaz, the Director of Operational Services via email stating that they are aware of the cost and that they will be invoiced upon completion. Once received the request needs to be approved by Hope Berte, the Vice President of Campus Planning, Facilities Management and Operational Services . Once fully approved the mailing will be processed.

Non-Mailable Items
The following items should never be sent in regular envelopes:

• Paper clips, metal pieces, keys, pencils, glass parts or buttons. These items can jam or damage mailing equipment. 
• Envelopes and cards that are less than 3" in height or 5" in length are also classified as Non-mailable items.

  Proper Addressing Format

• Type or machine-print the complete address. Avoid handwritten addresses.
• Ensure print is clear and sharp. Use standard business fonts. Address characters should not touch or overlap.
• When using window envelopes, be sure the entire address is always visible. There should be sufficient spacing around the address to allow for the shifting of contents within the envelope.
• Black ink on a white background is best.
• Maintain a uniform left margin.
• Use upper case letters.
• Omit all punctuation.
• Include floor, suite and apartment numbers whenever available.
• Use standard two-letter State abbreviations in capitals.
• For international mail, the country's name should appear in capital letters without abbreviations.
• When using window envelopes, be sure the entire address is always visible. There should be sufficient spacing around the address to allow for the shifting of contents within the envelope.
• Do not staple the envelope.

The lower 3/4" portion of the front side of the envelope, directly below the address, is reserved for postal bar codes. This area must remain clear.

For assistance with the designing of envelopes, contact Janice Awerbuch - Director of Design Services, at ext. 2266.

Extraneous printing or markings may be located in the upper left hand corner.

Address labels, if used on parcels, packages or envelopes, must also be addressed according to the recommended format. Labels must be applied straight and parallel to the bottom edge.

For additional information on addressing formats, zip code look up or current postage rates, call our Mailroom at ext.3227 or click here to go to United States Postal Service.