Over the past few years Mail Services has recognized the need to create a "standardized" method or format to be utilized when sending mail to our campus. One of the primary reasons for doing this is that more and more companies are starting to use third-party software to "validate" addresses before sending on to the United States Postal Service (USPS), which helps cut down on postage expense for the respective organization.
What we are finding is that, when this type of "delivery point validation" software is used and it does not recognize an address, it will either convert the address to a similar recognizable address or require the USPS to hand-sort the mail prior to final delivery to our campus. The end result is a considerable delay in the receipt of our mail; oftentimes our mail has been delivered to wrong addresses because of the validation software being used.
With the addition of two new buildings and the impending movement of departments across campus into new locations, we have the ideal opportunity to standardize the format used for College mail.
Listed below are the formats to be used by departments and students that will facilitate delivery.
Departmental Format
Name
Ithaca College
Department Name
953 Danby Rd
Ithaca, NY 14850-7000
Student Format
Name
Ithaca College
Residence Hall Name and Room #
953 Danby Rd
Ithaca, NY 14850-7000
Circle Apartments Resident Format
Name
Ithaca College
Circle Apt. ## ###
1033 Danby Rd
Ithaca, NY 14850-7007
The important or key piece to this format is that "953 Danby Rd" must be placed on the line directly above city, state and ZIP code (except for Circles residents). This will expedite the time in which the USPS delivers incoming mail to the College. In addition, the recommended format provides the key information (department name/residence hall building) for IC's Mail Services department to expedite delivery across campus.
Mail Services will begin to supply departments with address correction cards that should be used to update their address with vendors. Print Media Services has updated its web page to accommodate the new address format for all stationery orders. Departments across campus will need to update web pages to include the new "standardized" mailing address format, and business cards should be updated to include the new "standardized" mailing address format as well.
Mail Services will begin campus-wide communication and education regarding this change. A Q&A session will be held in the near future.
Please contact Karen at 274-3332 with questions or e-mail [mailto:kserbonich@ithaca.edu].
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20080826092828594