Parcel lockers back in service

Due to technical issues, the parcel lockers in the Clark Student Center have been out of service but have been repaired and are back in service as of March 2. 

“For like a month [it’s been out of service]. It happens when the Wi-Fi goes out, but when [the lockers] work they’re great,” Kelli Barnett, education fourth through eighth mathematics senior and front desk clerk of the post office, said.

Students have had to receive their packages from the window, which is only open on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The parcel lockers being out of service has happened before in the past and is fixed by the company Quadient. 

“We’ve had the company [Quadient] out several times. They were out last week when they replaced the computer. They said some damage was done to the software and that the computer would no longer function,” Jon Lane, postal services supervisor, said on Feb. 28. “I received word this morning that they have shipped a brand new computer, their engineers have tweaked it to our specific needs and we should get it up and running hopefully by next week.”

The computer used for the parcel lockers will be replaced with a new one in order to avoid future technical issues. In the beginning, there were no issues but when issues arose, it was due to the system itself.

“When we first got the lockers everything was fine, but we talked with our local IT and they did all the tests on their ends to see if there was not a connection between the Wi-Fi and everything,” Lane said. “They said our side was fine but there was something wrong with the locker system itself, and that’s when we started having the company come out and they finally determined that it was their problem.”

Once the local IT determined that the issue was because of Quadient, the company came in and fixed the issue. Barnett said the parcel lockers allow students to easily receive their packages whether someone is in the office or not.

“It’s definitely easier. Students that have classes off-campus or online classes can come in even on the weekends so it makes it easier to get their package,” Barnett said. 

The parcel lockers are open during the weekends when the campus postal office is closed. The constant availability of the lockers help students receive their packages at any time. 

“I use the lockers once every two weeks,” Brittaney Rivera-Orsini, radiology freshman, said. “The only inconvenience about the window instead of the lockers is that on the weekends it is not open. So if I have a package coming over the weekend it will be sent back and I have to wait another day or two.” 

Not only are the parcel lockers helpful to students, but they are also helpful to the workers on the campus postal office. The parcel lockers are time savers for all.

“We’ve had the lockers [since] 2016. It’s a great time saver because, before we got them, everyone that received a package had to come to the one window. We would have a line all the way back to the atrium when everyone’s books first came at the first of the semesters,” Lane said. “Having the parcel lockers helped a lot [because] there’s no need for the student to actually come to the window they can just go.”