No arrests made in connection with mail problems in Quad

Investigation continues Contrary to University President Judith Rodin's announcement at the University Council meeting Wednesday, postal investigators have not made an arrest in connection with Penn's mail problems, according to University officials. Vice President of Business Services Steven Murray attributed the mistake to a miscommunication within the post office. According to Murray, Philadelphia Postmaster Jim Gallagher had told Penn Mail Service Manager Jim Bean that a postal worker had been arrested for various crimes, and was thought to be responsible for the University's problems. Bean passed the information on to Murray, who told Rodin on Wednesday. During her monthly report at Council, Rodin said a postal worker had been apprehended last weekend for his alleged involvement in the University's situation. But according to Charles McManus, the leader of the internal investigation team for Philadelphia's Postal Inspection Service, no such arrest had been made. "We have narrowed [the investigation] down a bit, but I don't know of any arrests this service has made over the weekend," McManus said. The miscommunication occurred between the postmaster's office and the inspection service, Murray said. The confusion surrounded a postal worker who had been charged with stealing $4,500 worth of home shopping merchandise two weeks ago. "In a conversation we had with the postmaster [Wednesday], the inference had been drawn that there may have been a direct connection between the Quad situation and this arrest," Murray said. "This does not necessarily appear to be the case." Besides mail tampering, students living in dormitories have had their mail service compromised in a number of ways -- ranging from unattended packages to mail not arriving at all. Van Pelt College House and Modern Language College House have experienced days when mail was never delivered, Residential Living Director Gigi Simeone said. Simeone and Bean met with post office officials yesterday. John Harrison, a postal official responsible for mail delivery, reassured them that the problems would be addressed and corrected. "I think it was a good meeting," Simeone said. "He was very responsive and very sympathetic." Inconsistent Saturday mail delivery, which has been a problem in the past, was also discussed, Simeone added.