Mail Services

It should be noted that no artwork should ever appear below or to the right of the address area. Please follow USPS guidelines for placing artwork on the face of an envelope or post card.

Failure to comply explicitly with USPS rules can cause your mail to be REJECTED.

Please Note: Failure to comply explicitly with USPS rules may cause your mail to be REJECTED.

Below are the dimensions of postcards, letters and flats that are authorized by the USPS. All outgoing University mail is to stay within these dimensions. Addressing on these envelopes is always to be parallel to the longest side of the envelope. Addressing them on the short side is considered non-machinable. Violations of this rule costs the University additional postage fees for each piece and may slow down delivery.

Postcards

Postcards are a flat, single piece of hard (cardboard like) paper with no folds. The following are the dimensions of a legal postcard. Anything else would be a First Class letter or a Flat, depending on size, weight and thickness.

First Class Letters

First Class Letters are to be sent using a #10 envelope, which is a standard business mailing envelope (9 ½" x 4"). If the amount of paper in the envelope causes it to be thicker than 1/4 of an inch, then a standard 6" x 9" envelope should be used. This will allow the paper to be folded only once and save on the thickness issue.

The USPS standards for first class envelopes are listed below. Anything beyond these dimensions is considered a Flat or a Parcel. Cost rises considerably when going outside these dimensions. If a regular #10 mailing envelope is over 1/4 inch thick, it becomes a very costly flat. If you have a number of pages that must go in a #10 envelope, using a 6" by 9" envelope may keep it classified as a Letter and not a Flat.

Flats

Flats should only be used to send large promotional materials that will not fit in a standard mailing envelope. Anything larger than the dimensions listed below is considered a parcel. Placing letters or single sheets of paper into large envelopes is not acceptable and very wasteful.

Bulk and non-profit mailings are a very economical way of sending large mailings.  At the present time, bulk and non-profit processing is handled by outside mail houses that are contracted by the individual department. Contact Mail Services for mail house recommendations.

For departments sending out bulk mailings:  Notify us of the mailing at least two weeks prior by submitting a work request in the Facility Operations Work Order System requesting the funds to be available. View Internal Procedure for Bulk Mailings online. Please be sure to include:

• Mail House
• Project description
• Drop date
• Approximate cost of postage
• Approximate volume and weight of mailing

Departments that utilize Business Reply Mail (BRM) must use the USPS photo ready artwork for your Business Reply Post Cards and Letter envelopes. To order the artwork, contact Sandra Twymon-Anderson in Facility Operations at 313-993-1240. The artwork usually arrives within two weeks or ordering.

Business Reply Mail uses a different Zip-Plus-Four Zip Code than regular mail. Below are the correct BRM addresses.

These Zip Codes are to be used ONLY with Business Reply Envelopes and Post Cards.

Simple tips to have a successful mail piece design:

• Have your Mail House (or Detroit Mercy Mail Services) check your piece before it is printed.
• Be cautious of size, weight, and thickness! Bigger will increase postage costs. 
• Design your inserts and fold them so that they have a "clean" edge. Mailing houses use machines to insert your items in envelopes. If they cannot be machine inserted manual hand insertion costs as much as 5 times more per thousand.
• Newsletters can be sent as a self mailer. Layout the back page to include the area for addressing and postal indicia. Eliminate the cost of purchasing envelopes and stuffing them.
• An economical way of getting your information out is to send a postcard. 
• Be sure and leave enough room for inkjetting the address.

Delivery of Packages

• Per Detroit Mercy Mail Services Policy, please allow 48 hours for delivery of a package to a department.  If the receipt of your package is urgent, please contact Mail Services at 313-993-1240 with a tracking number.
• With the exception of resident students, personal mail or packages are not to be addressed to a University address. Please deliver all personal mail to your home or any other private address that you designate.
• Mail Services is not equipped to store refrigeration-required packages for long periods of time.  If you are expecting a package that must be stored in cooler temperatures, please notify Mail Services.

Large Deliveries

• For large, special delivers (pallets/skids of items), please make arrangements with Sandra Twymon-Anderson in Mail Services (313.993.1240).  Our delivery hours are between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. for special deliveries. 
• Mail Services does not have storage area available to hold deliveries; please consider your storage location prior to placing an order.

Department Responsible for Payment

• The Mail Services postage budget is used ONLY for outgoing U.S. Mail postage fees or any outgoing packages sent through the United States Postal Service (USPS), United Parcel Service (UPS), DHL (International packages only).
• Incoming shipments and freight costs are the responsibility of the departments receiving the goods. Under no circumstances are incoming shipments to be charged to the Mail Services budget. Additionally, Mail Services does not accept C.O.D. packages.
• University account numbers for the USPS, DHL, and UPS are never to be given to an outside vendor or agency for the purpose of charging a shipment to the University.

Delivery

The University's incoming mail is picked up from the Post Office late morning; however, arrival time is dependent upon the United States Postal Service sorting system. When received, mail is sorted by department name and then distributed to the various mail pickup and drop off locations throughout the University. Typically, mail is delivered to departments within 48 hours of receipt.  However, on some occasions, Mail Services' delivery of incoming USPS mail may be delayed for the following reasons: 

• U.S. Mail delivery arrived too late to sort in time for normal delivery
• Post Office is closed due to a Federal Holiday
• Staffing shortage at Mail Services

If your department has experienced a delay in delivery, please call Mail Services at 313-993-1240.

Priority & Overnight Shipments

All efforts are made to deliver priority/overnight mail & packages on the day of arrival. 

Nonspecific Addressee

When U.S. Mail arrives addressed only to University of Detroit Mercy with no specific department or individual's name, Mail Services reserves the right to open the mail to determine the addressee. Every effort is made to ensure the mail is delivered to the correct University destination.

With the exception of students, personal mail or packages should not be addressed to a University address. Personal packages are to be delivered to your home or any other private address that you designate.

Interdepartmental mail is not to be delivered between campuses. When possible, Campus-to-Campus communications are to be faxed or emailed.  When sending hard-copy documents to another Campus, please use standard U.S. Mail.

Envelopes

When sending interdepartmental mail within your campus, please only use tan interdepartmental envelopes. This will help prevent interdepartmental mail from entering the U.S. Mail stream.

To help prevent interdepartmental mail being delivered to the wrong destination, please make sure all former addresses on the interdepartmental envelope are clearly crossed out. Please include the department name, recipient's name, and any other pertinent information so that the Mail Clerk knows exactly where to deliver (using only an individual's name may slow the delivery of your mail).

Shipping Carrier

UPS is the only carrier the University authorizes for shipping outgoing packages.  Additional information on carriers is available on our Shipping Carriers section below. 

For your convenience, all outgoing packages are to be processed using the UPS online system- CampusShip.  University employees can be set up to use CampusShip by emailing Sandra Twymon-Anderson at twymonsa@udmercy.edu or by submitting a work request in the Facility Operations Work Order System. University students can visit us in Mail Services to process a package.  Find out more about Resident Student Mail!

Package Preparation

Please be aware, all incoming and outgoing packages, excluding resident student mail, are property of University of Detroit Mercy. Personal property should never be shipped through the University's Mail Service.

All packages are to be prepared by the sender according to the shipping company's specifications. Packages are to be wrapped in a carrier approved box or shipping envelope and addressed according to the carrier's specifications. Incomplete processing by the sender will cause the package to be refused or returned to the department sending it.

Supplies

Shipping supplies such as large boxes, are the responsibility of the sending department. If you need any UPS or USPS supplies, please contact Mail Services.

Shipping from the University

Because of its quickness and low cost, UPS Ground is highly encouraged for all outgoing packages shipped from the University.  Calculate time and cost for UPS Ground delivery will take!

Next day shipments should only be used in emergency situations or if your package is time-definite.

Drop Off Times

For all outgoing shipments and packages, please have your deliveries to Mail Services before 10 a.m. and before 3 p.m. to make certain they are delivered that day.

If you have a processed package within 16" x 13" x 3" measurements, a UPS Drop Box is available on the McNichols Campus behind the Gate House off the Livernois entrance.  UPS has a daily pick up around 6 p.m. for your after-hour packages.

Please Note: Failure to comply explicitly with USPS rules may cause your mail to be REJECTED. The University contracts a U.S. Postal-approved processing center to meter all outgoing U.S. Mail. Therefore, all outgoing U.S. and International Mail must comply with United States Postal Services Rules.

Private Mail

All U.S. Mail delivered through Detroit Mercy Mail Services is property of University of Detroit Mercy.

Private mail should never go through the University's mail service, unless it is already prepared with the proper amount of postage.

Mail Services Counting Procedure

All same-size pieces are to be sealed and rubber-banded with a Mail Services Count Slip.

Depending on the amount of outgoing, same-size pieces, you may need a U.S. Postal tray. Trays or tubs are provided by Mail Services upon request and may be used for 100 or more pieces.

Larger mailings are to be placed in trays in the same direction, facing up. You have the option of leaving the envelopes unsealed, however, all flaps on unsealed envelopes must be consistently up or down.

All outgoing U.S. Mail, including regular letters, invitations, large envelopes and flats, must include a Mail Services Count Slip, even for single envelopes. When sending larger amounts in U.S. Mail trays, each tray should have its own count slip.

Our Mail Services Count Slip is used for tracking the quantity of all pieces being mailed and therefore does not include stamped letters/prepaid or interdepartmental mail.

International Mail

International Mail is never to be co-mingled with U.S. Mail; International mail is to be bundled separately with its own Mail Services Count Slip. Please see "International Mail" for more details. See the United States Postal Service International Mail Manual.

Parcels

Parcels are not regular mail, but include larger items stuffed in envelopes, bubble-wrapped envelopes or small boxes. Please see Outgoing Packages above for information on these mailings.

Drop Boxes for After Hours

Mail Services office on Corktown Campus has a drop box available during normal business hours.

McNichols Campus has an after hour drop box for U.S. Mail and interdepartmental mail.

Postage Stamps

Because all outgoing mail sent through Mail Services is metered at a discount rate, using postage stamps is discouraged. Stamp requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Stamps ordered through Mail Services are ordered through the USPS website and are limited to the stamps available online. Stamp orders may take up to two weeks to receive.  Please contact Mail Services at 313-993-1240 to discuss stamp purchases.

Failure to comply explicitly with USPS rules can cause your mail to be REJECTED.

Counter Service

McNichols Campus and Corktown Campus provide limited counter services for resident students. We offer both shipping and receiving of packages and outgoing US Mail services.

Incoming Shipments

All Resident students are assigned a Student University Mail Services (SUMS) Box through Student Life.

With a SUMS Box, Resident students are able to receive packages that are shipped by the US Postal Service, UPS, DHL, FedEx, etc. When a package is processed in Mail Services, the receiver is automatically notified via Detroit Mercy email. Students can bring the 5-digit Package ID# and UDM Student ID to Mail Services to receive their package.

Under no circumstances will a package be released to anyone other than the addressee.  PLEASE MAKE SURE PACKAGES HAVE YOUR FULL, PROPER NAME, as listed in our University 

Per Detroit Mercy Mail Services Policy, unclaimed packages will be discarded after 30 days.

If a resident student is aware of an important shipment coming in, we recommend contacting Mail Services (313-993-1240) with a tracking number to check on shipment status.

Dental School and Law School both accept incoming packages at their current locations.

Outgoing Shipments

Mail Services provides a package shipping service for students to have their packages weighed and priced at the best possible rate. Payment for the shipment will be made in the Student Accounting Office after Mail Services has quoted the price.  A receipt must be brought back to Mail Services and then the package may be mailed.

University receives discounted rates from UPS and DHL and therefore will rarely use FedEx for outgoing shipments.

SUMS Box Mailing Address for Students

TOMMY TITAN, SUMS #1000
UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY
4001 W MCNICHOLS RD
DETROIT MI 48221-3038

UPS is the only carrier that the University uses for shipping of packages and priority deliveries. Prior to processing any outgoing shipments, you are required to read and comply with the information on the Outgoing Packages section above.

Ground Service is the most economical way of shipping. Please be advised, sending a package Next Day may cost up to four times the amount of a ground shipment and therefore should only be used in emergency situations or with priority shipments such as perishables or medications.  For advice on what service to use, please contact Mail Services at 313-993-1240.

• UPS will pick up from a central location on each of the UDM campuses.  UPS Pick up/Drop off points are as follows:Items should never be shipped from non-University addresses or locations, using University accounts.
  • Corktown Campus: Mail Services, Rm 1110, Clinic Building
  • McNichols Campus: Mail Services, Facility Operations Building
  • Riverfront Campus: Mail Services, Student Services, Dowling Hall

Tracking Packages. To track the location of your package, please visit the carrier's web site and enter the tracking number in the appropriate area of the site.  If your package has already been delivered to UDM, Mail Services personnel are able to identify the exact location using the Mail Services Tracking System.  For assistance in tracking your package, please call Mail Services at 313-993-1240.

Carrier Web Sites

• DHL
• FedEx
• UPS
• USPS

For employees: Please refrain from having personal mail or packages sent to you at the University. The purpose of Detroit Mercy Mail Services is to support the necessary communications of University business only.  Also, receiving a tremendous amount of "junk" mail, such as magazines or catalogs that could be received at home, delays the processing of other University mail. For residential students: Personal mail may be delivered to your assigned SUMS boxes which are located in Quad Commons.

If your mailing is not going through a mail house, then your mail should all be placed in USPS mail trays or tubs, depending on the size of your pieces. Mail trays and tubs are available at Mail Services. Domestic Mail and International Mail must be separate. All pieces are to be consistent; either all sealed or all unsealed. All pieces must be placed in the same direction in the trays and tubs. All pieces should have the same dimensions.

Using ZIP+4® codes help reduce the amount of misdirected mail as well as expedite processing and delivery of mail.  The ZIP+4® codes for Detroit Mercy Campuses are as follows:

TOMMY TITAN, SUMS #0000
UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY
4001 W MCNICHOLS RD
DETROIT MI 48221-3038

All shipments and USPS mail is delivered to Mail Services located in the Facility Operations Building on the north side of McNichols Campus between C&F and Calihan Hall.  Please refer to Tracking for more detailed information about the status or location of your delivery.

Shipments are delivered by the supplier's carrier to the address in the "SHIP TO" portion of the Purchase Order. Designate the appropriate Campus and recipient as the "SHIP TO" address on your purchase order, and we'll inspect and deliver your package within 48 hours of receipt. Every effort is made to deliver overnight packages on the date of receipt. 

Please be advised, sending a package Next Day/Overnight may cost up to four times the amount of a ground shipment and therefore should only be used in emergency situations or with priority shipments such as perishables or medications.  UPS Ground Service is highly recommended because typically shipments to Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and parts of the bordering states are usually delivered the following day.

Using our new system, Mail Services is able to track shipments to the University.  To do so, the following information is needed: 

• Tracking/shipping numbers
• Name of the shipping (carrier) company
• Date of shipment

You may also track shipments yourself by going to the shipping carrier's web site.

Senders are able to track packages using the carrier's web site by entering the tracking number. Additionally, Mail Services can track outbound packages that were shipped by Detroit Mercy, provided that the following information is made available to us: 

• Tracking/shipping numbers 
• Name of the shipping (carrier) company 
• Date of shipment

Because metered mail is less expensive than using stamps, Mail Services recommends the use of the meter mail process for all USPS mail delivery. Please attach a Mail Services Count Slip to all outgoing mail, even individual letters. All metered mail is sent First Class. Count Slips are not needed for mail that already has postage on it.

You must have an online user account set up for all shipping. Contact Facility Operations with your name, Detroit Mercy email address, department and campus for a user account.  An account will be set up and you will receive an automatic email from UPS CampusShip with your username and temporary password. To login, use the following link.

The Mail Services Count Slip is used to track the number of outgoing pieces sent out through our current carrier.  Completing the slips will help with accurate documentation and billing.  For all employees, please complete and attach a slip to all outgoing pieces, excluding Interdepartmental or stamped mail, and place it in your pick-up/drop-off station.  We appreciate your continued participation with this process.