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Law Prof Threatens Suit over University’s Plan to Reinstitute Single-Sex Dorms

George Washington University law professor John Banzhaf has threatened a lawsuit over plans by Catholic University of America to bring back single-sex dorms.

Banzhaf sent an intent-to-sue notice to university officials after last week’s announcement by university president John Garvey, Inside Higher Ed reports. Garvey wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that Catholic University is phasing in single-sex residence halls in an effort to reduce binge drinking and hooking up.

Banzhaf contends the policy will violate Washington, D.C.’s Human Rights Act, which bars discrimination in employment, housing, commercial space and public accommodations.

“Suppose a university decided that there would be less racial tension if all the blacks were in a black dorm, all the whites were in a white dorm,” Banzhaf told Inside Higher Ed. “Each one is, quote, getting their own dormitory, and maybe some of them would be happier that way. But surely no one would suggest that it’s lawful.”

The university issued a statement saying it is confident that the law does not require men and women to be housed together.

Link to article.

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Postal Solutions is the nation’s leader in the collegiate mail management industry, for both on- and off-campus mail management services. For more information regarding assistance with outsourcing your collegiate mail management needs, please call us today at (866) 378-8157 or visit us online at www.uspostalsolutions.com to save your student rental community or university money.

 

 

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Mailroom catches up with package backlog

Tasting a warm pistachio muffin from the Blue Room, shopping for that perfect fourth class, running into everyone you know in the Sharpe Refectory — these are a few of the nice things about returning to campus for spring semester. Waiting in line in the mailroom for 25 minutes to pick up a box of textbooks is not one of them.

The mailroom faced an unusually large backlog and longer lines this semester due to weather complications and an increased influx of packages, said Fred Yattaw, manager of University Mail Services. Mail Services processed 17,148 packages between Jan. 24 and Feb. 17, compared to 15,816 during the same period last year, according to data provided by Yattaw.

Mariah Gonzales ’13 waited over a week to pick up a package because the line in J. Walter Wilson was consistently excessive, she said.

“I actually made my brother pick up a package for me because the line was so long,” she said, adding, “I think he thought he was going to get something out of it because the package was from my mom.”

Link to article: http://www.browndailyherald.com/mailroom-catches-up-with-package-backlog-1.2480115

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Postal Solutions is the nation’s leader in the collegiate mail management industry, for both on- and off-campus mail management services. For more information regarding assistance with outsourcing your collegiate mail management needs, please call us today at (866) 378-8157 or visit us online at www.uspostalsolutions.com to save your university money.

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Cost of campus housing increases

By Christine Spasoff | IDS

The cost of living in the residence halls will increase almost 4.7 percent next year to account for other spending increases, including employees’ salaries and medical insurance costs. The largest spending increase went into renovation and repair, which increased 14 percent from the 2010-11 school year.

“A lot of the money goes into renovation and building new residence halls, causing us to take on a lot of debt,” said Pat Connor, executive director of Residential Programs and Services. “These new renovations allow for different options and a variety of choices in the residence halls. To do this, it costs money.” Connor said smaller factors, such as the increasing cost of oil and goods like toilet paper used in also contributed to the increase.

Connor said other solutions were considered to combat the rising prices.

Link to article: http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=80123

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Postal Solutions is the nation’s leader in the collegiate mail management industry, for both on- and off-campus mail management services. For more information regarding assistance with outsourcing your collegiate mail management needs, please call us today at (866) 378-8157 or visit us online at www.uspostalsolutions.com to save your university money.

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Electronic notifications alert students of packages

Charity Hulon

The outdated system of notifying by paper has been replaced with an e-mail system that saves time.
E-mail updates replace yellow slips to improve mailroom communication

A new mailroom system in the University of South Carolina Post Office has caused a stir on campus. On Feb. 11, the old system of placing yellow package notification slips in students’ mailboxes was replaced with an e-mail update.

Barry Meyers, the director of the USC Postal Services, is excited about the new method of package distribution. He said that, in January, 10,050 packages were delivered to resident students via the mail center. With the old system of paper notification slips, much of mailroom employees’ time and energy was spent printing, labeling and delivering the yellow slips.

The e-mail system allows the mailroom to process the packages through an internal tracking system and digitally assign them a shelf location based on the student’s name and the shipping carrier type. The e-mail is then sent, and students can receive their packages by scanning their CarolinaCards at the package pick-up desk.

Meyers noted that it is important for students to check their “junk” e-mail if they are expecting a package notification, and add the address noreply@sgbx.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to a “safe sender” list.

Link to article: http://www.dailygamecock.com/news/item/662-electronic-notifications-alert-students-of-packages

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Postal Solutions is the nation’s leader in the collegiate mail management industry, for both on- and off-campus mail management services. For more information regarding assistance with outsourcing your collegiate mail management needs, please call us today at (866) 378-8157 or visit us online at www.uspostalsolutions.com to save your university money.

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Campus mailboxes vulnerable to theft

Neither wind nor rain, nor unlocked mailbox, keeps these couriers from delivering the mail. Perhaps this should be the new motto of the Bowdoin Mail Center, as it was recently discovered that student mailboxes are not as secure as many may think.

The Orient tested 100 mailboxes at random and was able to open 12 without entering combinations. This security breach suggests that student mail could be at risk for theft.

Link to article: http://orient.bowdoin.edu/orient/article.php?date=2011-02-18&section=1&id=6

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Postal Solutions is the nation’s leader in the collegiate mail management industry, for both on- and off-campus mail management services. For more information regarding assistance with outsourcing your collegiate mail management needs, please call us today at (866) 378-8157 or visit us online at www.uspostalsolutions.com to save your university money.

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