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Mailroom Frequently Asked Questions

Mailroom Entrance

Where is the Merrill Mailroom Located?

Directly across from the Merrill College Office, or, adjacent to the Merrill roundabout in the yellow-orange building.

What is my address?

The format of your Merrill student address is as follows:

Your Full Name (First Name, Last Name)
UCSC, Merrill College, Box #
641 Merrill Road
Santa Cruz, CA 95064-1102

✓ Do use your full legal or preferred name, first and last
✓ Do include your box number

× Do not use nicknames
× Do not use your room number
× Do not use 1156 High St.
× Do not use P.O. Box

Incorrectly addressed mail will be significantly delayed or returned to sender.

What’s my assigned box number?

All students living at Merrill will receive a mailbox number assignment and combination code and will receive email notifications when packages are available for pickup during mailroom open hours. Please note that mailboxes are shared.

Your box number, combination, and instructions on recieving mail and packages will be sent to you via email to your UCSC.edu email address either shortly before or on move-in day. If you did not receive this email and you are a Merrill resident, please email us at merrillmail@ucsc.edu. 

How do I open my mailbox? 

How to Open Your Mailbox:

- Spin the lock LEFT (counter-clockwise) to the first number

- Spin the lock RIGHT (clockwise), pass the first number, then land on the second number

- Spin the lock LEFT (counter-clockwise) to the third number

- Turn the lock RIGHT (clockwise) to open and pull the lock toward you

  • Close and spin the lock several times in any direction to reset

What do I do if there's a letter in my mailbox that is not for me?

Mailboxes are shared with up to two students per box, please double check the name so as not to take mail that is not addressed to you. If mail addressed to another student is taken accidentally please return it to a mailroom employee as soon as possible. 

How do I know when my package has arrived?

You will receive an e-mail notification from us letting you know we’ve logged your package into our database and it is ready for pick-up. If you receive a notification from your postal carrier prior to receiving our e-mail, please be patient and know that we will contact you very soon. There are several reasons why there may be a lag between these two notifications:

  • MANY OTHER STUDENTS ARE ORDERING PACKAGES AT THE SAME TIME: The beginning of each quarter is very busy.  If you have an urgent need for a package, we may be able to prioritise sorting for your package.  Please email us with more details or stop by the mailroom with confirmation of delivery.
  • YOUR CARRIER PREEMPTIVELY NOTIFIED YOU BEFORE IT ARRIVED:
    Postal carriers frequently mark packages as delivered when they are still in transit.  
  • THE PACKAGE WAS INCORRECTLY ADDRESSED:
    If a package is delivered to you with any missing info (first or last name missing, nickname used, or package shipped with parent's name, etc) it may cause delays in your package as we confirm who it's intended for.  In this case we may ask for the tracking number to confirm the package is for you.

What do I need to bring when picking up a package?

Please bring your student ID card when retrieving packages from the mailroom. If you do not have your student ID card, you can use any valid, physical photo ID, such as a Driver's License, State ID, or Passport. Please note that photos of ID cards are NOT accepted. 

Can I send a friend to pick up a package for me?

Yes you can! Please send an email to merrillmail@ucsc.edu that includes 1)your friend's full name, 2)your friend's college affiliation, 3)a statement authorizing your friend to pick up your package. Please note your friend will need to show a valid physical photo ID upon pickup (photos of IDs not accepted). 

What if my carrier has notified me my package has been delivered, but I haven't received any notification from the Merrill Mailroom and it's been more than a couple days?

It may have been misdelivered or the package might have incomplete information, causing us to be uncertain who it's for.  Email us your name, tracking number, and a screenshot of the confirmation delivery email from the carrier and we will be able to search for the item to see if it got misdelivered, misprocessed, or misplaced. 

What if I go by a name other than my legal name?

If you have specified a preferred name in MyUCSC, you can receive mail under either your preferred or legal name.  For all other students, please use your full legal name for all packages and letter mail, otherwise we cannot guarantee mail will be matched to you. Please note that packages will be written down on the package itself using the name that's on the package label itself. Be sure to have pacakges mailed by you, family, friends, or other sources using your preferred full name rather than your legal name. Packages that do not contain your full or prefered name and box number may have processing significantly delayed while we figure out who the package belongs to. 

What if I ordered medicine or a medical device and need it right away?

If you have medicine or a medical device arriving that you need urgently, please email us BEFORE the item's arrival at merrillmail@ucsc.edu with your full name (and/or preferred name), box number, the tracking number of the package, and a screenshot of the tracking number with the expected arrival date. We will make a note of the item and do our absolute best to prioritize and process it, however, please note that we cannot guarantee immediate processing. We will do our absolute best but can make no guarantees for same day processing. Please also note that our mailroom has no temperature control, no air conditioning, and no refrigeration, so please be aware that we cannot store any medicine that requires refrigeration and/or temperature control. We are not liable for any medication or medical devices sent to us that spoil or become defective in the unpredictable temperature of our mailroom. 

Where can I mail a letter?

The Merrill mailroom is not a full service post office, a UPS or FedEx pick-up spot. We do not supply any mailing materials or stamps.

The closest U.S. mailbox for outgoing mail is located at the UCSC Bookstore and at Baskin Engineering near the bus stop. Please make sure you apply approproate stampage to the letter mail based on USPS instructions and place it into the blue mailbin. Letters without sufficient postage will be rejected and returned to you by USPS. 

Where can I mail a package?

The Merrill mailroom is not a full service post office, a UPS or FedEx pick-up spot. We do not supply any mailing materials or packing labels.

The nearest UPS location is next to the Safeway on Mission Street at:

849 ALMAR AVE, STE C
SANTA CRUZ, CA 95060-5848

The nearest USPS location is downtown on Mission Street at:

850 FRONT ST
SANTA CRUZ, CA 95060

The nearest FedEx location is downtown on Front Street at:

712 FRONT ST
SANTA CRUZ, CA 95060

If you wish to send out a RETURN package from campus, you will need to bring a box with the item inside while having a printed out RETURN label for the carriers to accept. Once the box is sealed and the return label is on the package, the mailroom can accept it and request the carrier to pick it up.

What if I want to work at the mailroom?

Please ask a Mailroom Clerk if we are currently hiring. You can also check periodically of open positions on the UCSC Handshake system.

Is The Mailroom open during holidays? 

No. The Mailroom is closed during the following holidays and breaks:

  • New Years
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • Presidents’ Day
  • César Chávez Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Juneteenth Day
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Veterans Day
  • Thanksgiving Holidays
  • Winter Campus Closure
Mailroom is closed during holidays and Winter Campus Closure; expect delays. Mail is kept at regional facilities during Winter Closure and forwarded to us after the break, resulting in delayed processing times. Thank you for your patience while we catch up on peak delivery times.
 
The Mailroom has limited service during the following breaks:
  • Spring Break

Is the Mailroom open during Winter Campus Closure? 

 No. The mailroom is closed Winter Campus Closure. Please refrain from ordering items to campus during winter campus closure as we will not have staff to accept or process items during this time. In addition, the mailroom will be closed and mailboxes will be inaccessible during this period. Packages delivered during this time may be returned to sender. We are not responsible for any packages left outside of our mailroom by carriers.