Perhaps it is a sign of the times - like no more landline telephones in residence hall rooms, or renting textbooks instead of buying them -- the Champlain Mail Center has modernized its operation and will no longer offer individual mailboxes for students.

When student return from winter break, they will find the Cushing Hall mailroom has moved to the bright lobby of the Center for Communications and Creative Media, right next to the Campus Bookstore. A wall of bright yellow mailbox fronts, designed by Christine Burdick Design, create an artistic setting adjacent to the service window, highlighting the new services.

Linda Barrows, the manager of the Mail Center expects the new space will provide many improvements over the old system. "There are no mailboxes - students get an e-mail for every letter they receive. We're working on differentiating in the e-mail whether it is a letter, magazine, check, or campus mail. We're also saving space for the school."

When mail for students now arrives at the Mail Center, it will be scanned into the campus mail system, be given a barcode, and then an email will be sent out to the student. The mail will then be sorted into categories and held until the student comes to retrieve their package, magazine or letter. Shelves from the former bookstore in Joyce Hall have been repurposed for the package sorting system.

The change from traditional individual mail boxes with forgettable combination locks reflects the new reality these days - "We get less letter mail and more packages, especially from Amazon," she noted.

While the drop in letters is significant, the increase in package delivery reflects how most students shop these days, she said. Students are active with Amazon and other online shopping hubs for everything from textbooks to clothes to food. "Vacuum cleaners, fans, food, fridges... if Amazon has it, they order it," she said.

And it is not just students who get less physical mail, the College as a whole has been seeing a drop in mail since so many routine correspondences are now handled via email and online submission for things like applications. The mailroom will continue to sort and deliver on-campus and inter-office mail  to the various departments and to the Lakeside Miller Center campus.

Barrows said some other changes come along with the move, "Students and others will have to buy their own tape now -- we can't give it out anymore. It's the same for envelopes and some packaging. But you can purchase those over at the bookstore." Stamps are also available by the booklet at the Campus Bookstore.

Overall, Barrows is happy with move from the windowless Cushing mailroom to the busy CCM building and transportation hub. .

"We're happy it's going to be more personal, that there's more interaction with students with the lounge right in front of us. My favorite thing about working in the mailroom is getting to know the students," she said.

Mail Center Information:
The Champlain Mail Center hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Contact : mailroom@champlain.edu
or (802) 860-2700 ext: 2385. CC cash card accepted
To mail packages use: Name, 246 South Willard St., Burlington, VT 05401
Mailing letters use: Name, Champlain College, P.O. Box 670, Burlington, VT 05402
Courier pickup times (Monday through Friday):

• US Mail - 3:30 p.m. www.usps.com
• FedEx Express - 3:30 p.m. www.fedex.com
• FedEx Ground - 11: 30am
• UPS - 4 p.m. www.ups.com