Distribution Services/Mailroom

Office: 311 South Juniper Street, 1st Floor
Office Hours: M-F, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Student Packages until 4:30 p.m.
Telephone: 215-717-6950
Fax: 215-875-9310

For special requests, email us at distributionservices@uarts.edu.

MAIL AND PACKAGE SERVICES

Student Mail and Packages
For all mail being sent to University dormitories, please follow the directions below. Failure to follow these guidelines will result in the lack of proper delivery of your packages or letters!  

For all student letters and packages sent through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS):
STUDENT NAME
C/O THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS
320 SOUTH BROAD STREET
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19102
DORM NAME (e.g. Spruce Hall) - ROOM #

For all letters and packages sent through commercial caarriers (UPS, FedEx, etc.):
STUDENT NAME
C/O THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS
311 SOUTH JUNIPER STREET
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19107
DORM NAME (e.g. Spruce Hall) - ROOM #

*DO NOT MAIL OR ADDRESS PACKAGES TO RESIDENCE HALLS*

University Mail
U.S. Postal mail is picked up by Distribution Services staff and arrives at our location at 8:30 a.m. It is sorted and delivered immediately.

  • Inbound overnight courier packages are delivered as they are received. Outbound packages are prepared by the shipper and sent out by the Distribution Services staff.
  • All interoffice mail is sorted and delivered the same day if it is received before 10 a.m. and the following business day if received after 10 a.m.
  • Package tracking is available online at FedEx.com, UPS.com, DHL.com and USPS.com.

Bulk Mailing
When mailing 500 or more pieces, please consider mailing non-profit with the University's permit. These mailings will include our permit number (1103). In most cases, there can be a substantial savings in postage when mailing non-profit.

For permit mailings, please contact Jim Maurer in University Communications before the design process has begun. He will guide you on mailing specifications, timing, cost and list preparation.

Copy requests can be dropped off at Distribution Services and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Please allow 24 hours for requests to be completed.

Cut-Off Times
To meet our overnight vendor's pick-up times, all packages must be in the Mail Center by these times for same-day pick-up:

  • U.S. Post Office:  3 p.m.
  • UPS Packages: 2 p.m.
  • Presort Mail: 1 p.m.

The staff needs at least 24 hours notice for any mailing of 1,000 pieces or more. Any shipments of 100 lbs. or more must be scheduled prior to their arrival.

Helpful Hints for Mail

  • Use 2-letter state abbreviations.
  • Eliminate all punctuation (except for hyphen in zip code +4).
  • Use common abbreviations (i.e. St. and Ave.).
  • Use zip code +4, which allows the post office to sort more directly and speeds up the delivery process.
  • Make sure the location to which you want the mail delivered appears on the line immediately above the city, state and zip line.
  • If both the street address and P.O. Box are located on the same line, the mail piece will be delivered to the P.O. Box.
  • Mail of any kind for transport by the U.S. Postal Service should be enclosed in an appropriate envelope or parcel and sealed.
  • The address placement on the envelope must conform to USPS specifications. Any piece being sent out presort must be typed and have nothing on the envelope's bottom right side so that a bar code can be sprayed on the piece. Return addresses must be placed in the top left corner and not interface with the "send to" address.
  • The following items should NOT be mailed in envelopes: paper clips, glass chips, metal pieces and sand!
  • Please ensure the recipient's name is clearly identified on all correspondence (both USPS and courier services).
  • All mail (including interoffice) should have a return address to assist the Mail Center in contacting the sending party if additional information is needed.
  • All outgoing USPS metered mail must be accompanied by a department name or account number.
  • When sending a large mailing of letter-sized envelopes, group them together and rubber-band them. The flaps should remain in the open position for proper sealing by Mail Center personnel. For larger-sized envelopes, please seal flaps prior to sending them to the Mail Center.
  • Please consult with Distribution Services for these options before sending us your package.

Mail FAQs
Q: What time is the cut-off for U.S. mail?
A: Mail must be in the Mail Center by 3 p.m. for same-day processing.

Q: What time does the U.S. Mail arrive from the Post Office?
A: Mail is picked up from the Post Office daily at 8 a.m.

Q: What happens if I have a large mailer to be sent out? What do I do?
A: Please contact Distribution Services in advance so that we can prepare and have the opportunity to discuss mailing options with you.

Q: When do overnight packages arrive at the Mail Center?
A: Priority packages are generally received between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. Standard packages are received between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Shredding
Distribution Services also handles shredding. For assistance, please email us at distributionservices@uarts.edu.

Paper Supplies
All orders for copy paper should be placed through W.B. Mason. Distribution Services orders generic stationary and most paper supplies for the University.