Editorial: Snail Mail
La Salle mail delivery is seriously lacking

March 29, 2006

The United States Postal system is one of the oldest institutions in the country. People rely on the mail service for information, financial reasons and communication. Although “snail mail” is quickly becoming archaic in the modern age of technology, its necessity on La Salle’s campus should not be disregarded.

La Salle’s website states that students hail from 37 states and 42 countries. These students are not able to return home as often as students who are from the local area. While they may able to correspond with family and friends through e-mail or on the telephone, the mail system at La Salle serves as a primary means of communication for them. Whether it be birthday cards or mid-semester care packages, the items that are sent to these students should be able to be received in a timely fashion.

The U. S. Post Office first delivers all campus mail to North Dorms. There it is sorted by the addresses to determine if it belongs in North Dorms or Treetops. The mail is then driven to its respected locations, where it is again sorted by student workers, who place the mail into each student’s mailbox.

Despite efforts to deliver students’ mail efficiently, many students have found the system to be lacking an element of organization. While it could be said that letters from grandparents do not need to be received within days of them being sent, items such as cable bills do. Hundreds of resident students have contracts with Comcast cable, and thus pay a monthly bill. Every day a cable bill is delayed in the mail means more money in late fees that students, who are already struggling in the financial department, have to pay.

When students are home, they expect to see the mailperson at their door every day, at nearly the same time. During the school year, however, the mail has to pass not only from the local post offices, but through several locations around campus before finally reaching its designated mailbox. Although this type of system has proven to be frustrating to students, its success depends on the cooperation of many different people from many different venues, all who need to have a strict commitment to competence.