Campus Operations During the Pandemic

The public policy response to COVID-19 has impacted every aspect of campus operations. Physical campus operations remain essential, but the impact on space, hours and staff has been palpable. Mailrooms — campus, departmental and residential — are a prime example. On many campuses, mailrooms have been closed to in-person traffic. Several have adopted smart lockers to provide contactless parcel/package delivery. Others keep mailrooms open for packages that won’t fit in smart lockers but are otherwise closed to in-person pickup. Many have restricted hours of operation as well. Yet the work isn’t letting up. We take a deep dive into mailroom operations to see how the pandemic has affected them this fall and where the hurdles lie.