350 report Quad mail complaints

University Police reported yesterday that they have received 350 complaints about the Quadrangle's mail services from residents this month. Residential Living Director Gigi Simeone said yesterday that the large number of mail grievances did not come as a surprise to her. "We didn't need proof that [the Quad mail] was a major problem," she said. "We are well aware it is a serious problem and we are cooperating in the investigation." University Police Detective Mike Carroll said University Police plans to investigate the circumstances behind the complaints. He added that offices will be contacting students on the list compiled by 573-DORM this week to look into their complaints. "We are innundated with mail [complaints]," he said. "We have the tip of the iceberg. What we see now looks like a lot more of a problem than we were aware of. We're trying to work them through so we can see where the problems are." Students have complained about everything from missing packages of clothing to failing to receive hundreds of dollars in cash. Carroll said University Police was unaware of the serious nature of the mail problem because the calls to 573-DORM were supposed to be referred to the police but were not. Simeone said she has been working with the U.S. Postal Service to solve the problem and only recently involved University Police. Simeone added that she is awaiting the result of the Postal Service investigation into the mail problems and will not hold anyone responsible until the report is published. "I am eagerly looking forward to the results of the investigation," she said. "I don't want to point [the blame]. I want the inspectors to determine where the blame lies, but certainly we've had problems all year with mail delivery from 30th Street [the central post office]." Carroll said University Police will try to track down every missing piece of mail possible, but he said some mail simply cannot be traced. "A lot of the reports are not traceable because they are first-class mail," he said. "We are trying to trace every report with the possibility of being traced and that's certified mail, registered mail, and packages." Carroll said he is currently working with a Postal Service supervisor and two other detectives in an effort to correct the problems. Residential Living had a strategy meeting last week to discuss immediate solutions and improvements to the mail system. Simeone said yesterday dead bolt locks have already been placed on all the mail room doors and she expects glass windows to be put in the doors "any day now." She has assigned Manager for Residential Services Rodney Robinson to the mailroom in order to supervise the distribution of the mail. And mailroom staff has been assigned to sort the mail of specific Quad houses in order to "have better accountability." Simeone also said recently that the University is "looking at the possibility of reconstructing the mail room" in order to enhance efficiency and solve the mail problem. An open forum for students to voice their opinions about the Quad's mail service, originally scheduled for the Monday following spring break, was postponed due to bad weather. According to College senior Jon Held, the forum's organizer, the meeting will be rescheduled for either March 29 or 31 in McClelland Hall in the Quad. Simeone, Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson, University Police officers and a postal service inspector will attend the open meeting. Staff writer Charles Ornstein contributed to this article.