Residents in Hamilton Village have filed more than 60 official mailroom complaints, alleging that cards and packages they were expecting was never delivered to their mailboxes. The majority of the missing mail is cards or envelopes that residents say contained money. Approximately 23 complaints from Harnwell College House residents and 40 from Harrison residents have been filed with the Office of Housing and Conference Services, according to Marketing Manager Lynn Rotoli. "This is a serious matter and we are not taking it lightly," Rotoli said. "This problem has been going on since before winter break so we are very concerned." The problem began when Assistant Director of Facilities Support Gordon Rickards received a number of complaints from residents in Harnwell College House. Rickards sent out a notice requesting that all residents of the house report any problems, and he received 23 complaints in response. Those complaints reported that a total of 30 pieces of mail and 15 packages were missing. "We encourage students to get in touch with us so we can get to the root of the problem," Rotoli said. "We want to work together with the students in order to help them." Rickards had Official Postal Authority Forms -- also called 1510s -- placed in the mailboxes of students who had sent him complaints, and he has received five of them back. The complaints have been forwarded to the United States Postal Authorities and the issue is being investigated by the Penn Mail Service and the University of Pennsylvania Police. Amanda Codd, a Resident Advisor on the 11th floor in Harrison, said she never received mail she was expecting. "In January, it was my birthday and two of my friends said they had sent me cards. I never got them, and Ithought it was suspicious," the College senior said. After contacting other RAs and graduate associates, Codd realized the problem was more widespread than she had originally thought. "I have gotten about 15 e-mails from RAs and GAs responding that they have had the same problems on their floors," Codd noted. "It is mostly just birthday cards not coming in, but a lot of people are infuriated about it." Codd spoke with Rickards about the problem and she then notified residents of the house to send their complaints to Rickards. He received 40 responses and placed 1510 forms in the mailboxes of the students who filed them. GA Mike Byers was another resident affected by the mail problems. "I know of at least one birthday card that I didn't get," Byers said. "I e-mailed students about the problem and a few students e-mailed me back saying that they have not received multiple mailings dating back to around Thanksgiving Break." Other Harrison residents said they were also victims of the mail disappearances. "My mom had sent me on two separate occasions cards with money in them that I never received," College freshman Jen Cartus said. "It was really frustrating and now I am afraid I am going to start getting bills late." And now Hamilton residents, as well, have begun to complain about missing mail. College sophomore and Hamilton resident Alexis Marchio said she did not receive several birthday cards last semester. "I thought it was kind of strange so I filed a complaint with the house dean, who forwarded it to the mailroom," Marchio said. College sophomore Dayna Finkelstein, also a Hamilton resident, echoed Marchio's experience. "The mail is unreliable and I never know whether or not I am getting all of my mail," Finkelstein said. "They were good with getting back to me when I put in a complaint."
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