Mail problems in Quad grow worse

and CHARLES ORNSTEIN Stephanie Perron thought no one remembered her birthday. It wasn't until Perron and several hallmates found a garbage bag full of mail and packages outside the Quadrangle mailroom that she realized the problem was with the Quad mail service and not her friends. She is not alone. Over 40 students complained about the Quad mail service to The Daily Pennsylvanian yesterday and it appears that Residential Living has received more than twice as many complaints. "Oh yeah, [we've received] more than 100 complaints," Residential Living Director Gigi Simeone said. "But I couldn't put [an exact] number on it." Perron's suspicions began when hallmates told her they had not received their mail either and wanted to check out the mailroom. One of the garbage bags outside the mailroom, she said, was filled with letters -- including Perron's cards -- L.L. Bean shirts with the tags attached and voter registration cards. "We called University Police and they came and picked up the bag of mail," the College freshman said. "They said that they would do an investigation. But recently, for Valentine's Day, I didn't receive two or three cards that people sent me." Many others, including a College freshman who wished to remain anonymous for fear of not getting her mail, are also upset with the mail service. The freshman said her mother sent her a package in September which contained a "unique" wool sweater, a $50 check and some pictures which she never received. She assumed that the package was lost in the mail, until three weeks ago when she saw the woman behind the mail counter wearing what she said she is sure is her sweater. "I was sort of shocked," she said. "I asked her where she got it and she blurted back in a very rude, suspicious tone, 'In a store.' I just said OK and I didn't take it farther than that." The Quad mail service has been under scrutiny since 1990 when students complained of "slow and shoddy" service. Last fall, U.S. Postal Service investigators began looking into students' allegations and in January, retired postal workers were hired by the University to replace students who worked in the Quad mailroom. Simeone said that although an investigation is ongoing, she is confident that the Quad mail service is handling mail efficiently. "We are confident that the mailroom is getting mail out to students quickly," she said. "The tampering is within the U.S. Post Office. The problem is with the mail not getting here at all." Perron is not so sure. "The school is trying to blow it off as being the fault of the Post Office and not of the mailroom workers," she said. "I totally think it's the mailroom. People I know who live off campus don't have problems getting their mail." College freshman Diana Leibert said she worries about not receiving mail she does not expect. "What about the mail I don't know about?" she said. Many students are finding that the old adage, "the check is in the mail," is applicable to them. College freshman Amy Stuhlberg said she has "lost" almost a thousand dollars in the mail. Stuhlberg said her father wanted to test the mail system and sent cash wrapped in letters to her nine times. Almost every letter, which included between $5 and $50, was lost in the mail. "We were so infuriated," she said. "The mailroom people were terrible to deal with. We weren't getting anywhere, so my father kept a list of all the mail he sent to me and I've given the list to Residential Living." Rodney Robinson, assistant manager for Residential Living's service center, said the package room personnel is "pretty responsible." He added that only two people have contact with the packages. Other students complained about failing to receive everything from absentee ballots for the November presidential election to L.L. Bean orders. Students were informed earlier in the year that if they should have any problems with the mail service, they should contact 573-DORM -- the Residential Living services hotline. College freshman Alexandra Wipert said the hotline is ineffective in handling complaints. "I complained to the woman at the Quad mail desk, but she refused to take the complaint," Wipert said. "I had to call 573-DORM several times and I never got an answer to my complaint." Robinson said that when students complain, he writes their names and complaints on a list and delivers this list to the U.S. Postal Service. University Police Commissioner John Kuprevich said if students do not get the help they are looking for by calling 573-DORM, they can call University Police. Kuprevich said his detectives have been working with the Postal Service since October to solve the problems. He said fingerprints have been taken and added that his department has suspects. "We take these complaints very seriously," said U.S. Postal Service Spokesperson Selena Carle. "[Our investigator] has been investigating complaints regarding the campus mail." Students said they are still upset about the mail system that is in place. College freshman Emily Dillof said a package with $100 and her driver's license never arrived. Now, she said, her parents send use certified mail for all important packages. College freshman Christiane Derby said she is upset that she can no longer rely on the mail system. "It's pathetic that I have to be afraid for my mail," she said. "My parents can't send me checks in the mail, they can't send me packages and they can't send me anything. I'm afraid its never going to get here." Simeone stressed the need for students to report complaints to Residential Living so they can be handled promptly.

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