c/o Lizzy Brandt, Photo Editor
WesStation announced the installation of electronic mail lockers in the lower level of Usdan University Center in an all-campus email on Aug. 14. Luxer One manages the new lockers, which are intended to replace the underutilized mailboxes—called WesBoxes—located on the first floor of Usdan and help students receive their mail in a more timely, straightforward, and space-efficient manner.
WesStation previously assigned each student a WesBox that could be unlocked with a combination code and receive letters, although the small size of the WesBoxes could not accommodate packages. As enrollment at the University rose, students were required to share WesBoxes, allowing them to easily access each other’s mail.
In addition to presenting a risk to students’ privacy, the WesBoxes were also inefficient. Because paper mail has become less popular in the digital age, a large proportion of WesBoxes would remain empty throughout the year and receive no mail. Students who did receive mail often would not retrieve their letters promptly. As a result, mail would linger in boxes for months at a time and WesStation staff would struggle to stuff mail into overflowing boxes.
“The old mailboxes were being underutilized since we only take in approximately 40 pieces of mail a day,” said Manager of Mail Services John Negrich.
Starting during the 2023 spring break, WesStation staff conducted tests that delivered mail messages to students to notify them of their mail delivery. Following the tests, a significant increase in paper mail deliveries prompted the installation process of the Mail Lockers.
“Ultimately from that test, we learned that the new mail delivery system using the lockers would be more efficient for the WesStation operation,” Negrich said. “We can use our staff more efficiently, students receive direct notification of their mail and receive their mail quickly.”
Students can sign up on the Luxer One website with personalized codes or download the Luxer One app to receive notifications on their phone. When a piece of mail is received, the system sends an email with pickup details to students.
After receiving the all-campus email on Aug. 14, some students were initially confused about the distinction between paper mail and package delivery with the new mail lockers.
“When I first got the email about the new lockers, I was thinking it was for packages because they specifically also said Amazon Hub lockers,” said Daisy Montoya ’24. “Then I actually went to go pick up a package and saw it was only for letters, so that was really confusing for me.”
Negrich confirmed that the Mail Lockers are exclusively for student mail, not packages. The process for receiving packages will remain the same: Students receive an email from WesStation with the location of their package, and can retrieve them at the package window.
“Mail Lockers are not for packages,” Negrich said. “They will have no impact on the package lines. Over the course of a day, we hand out over 400 packages on average…. The best way to help with any lines at the package window would be to encourage students to come during non-peak pick-up times.”
Even with the new mail lockers in place, some students are uncertain whether the new system is necessary.
“I don’t see why they changed it,” Montoya said. “The [old] lockers are built into the building so I feel like it’s kind of unnecessary.”
The University is currently discussing how to best utilize the space on the first floor of Usdan currently occupied by WesBoxes. Multiple ideas have been proposed on behalf of the Auxiliary Services Administration that oversees Usdan, Finance and Administration, and Construction Services. The University hopes to complete the undetermined project within two to three years, close to Usdan’s 20th anniversary in 2027.
Usdan and WesStation staff predict a more positive mail experience for University students in the future with the new system.
Carolyn Neugarten can be reached at cneugarten@wesleyan.edu.