paulseno2@lopers.unk.edu
Students walking in the Nebraskan Student Union might notice something different as UNK installed a new mailing system for students to pick up their packages.
“When I lived in Mantor Hall, you would have to just pick up your package at the front desk and show your Student ID, but there might not be someone working at the desk at that time,” said Clancy Hesseltine, a UNK student. “Now students can pick it up at their own convenience which is really nice.”
The new locker mailing system is in the NSU next to the Student Engagement Offices. It will be the primary delivery location for all packages being delivered to students who reside on campus, instead of students going to their dorm’s front desk.
When a student’s package is delivered, the student will receive an email with a barcode enclosed. The student can scan the barcode at the kiosk, which will open the locker with their package located inside.
Matthew Allbright, assistant director of Operations of Residence Life, Allbright said the new locker system is a significant addition to campus.
“It is really saving us money spent on staffing costs,” Allbright said. “We have to have a desk assistant to accept the packages the freight carrier drops off and now we can cut back on those hours.”
Though the lockers are new to campus, Allbright said that getting them has been a lengthy process that started at the beginning of the pandemic in effort to maintain safety measures.
“We started the bidding process for the lockers back around March or April of 2020 and narrowed it down to three primary vendors,” Allbright said. “We definitely took a look at funding but were fortunate enough to be able to use funding UNK was granted by the CARES Act that was specifically for technology.”
Allbright also explained how the lockers’ central location on campus is also economically beneficial for other businesses in the NSU, including the Grid, the Antelope Bookstore, Starbucks, Chick-Fil-A and Starbucks.
“I can see how it is going to be very tempting for me to stop and get Starbucks or a snack in the convenience store if I am already walking through the Union to pick up my package,” said Katelyn Wells, a UNK student.
The lockers are in their final testing phases this week. The system will be ready for use by both freight carriers and students by Oct. 25.