This is a revised version of an article we published which incorrectly stated that mail services lost around 30 staff members this summer due to voluntary buyouts and layoffs. There were 30 total staff departures across the college, of which only one was from mail services. Chimes apologizes for this inaccuracy.

Mail deliveries to various college departments has been reduced from two to one per day due to staff down-sizing.

There were around 30 staff departures from Calvin over the summer including one from the mailroom.

Mail-runs to residents, which happen once a day, have not changed. Deliveries are now made by student workers, as the task is no longer a staff position.

As with other staff changes on campus lately, the staff reduction was a matter of strategic planning from the college in order to continue operating with a viable budget for the future, Randy Nieuwsma, the Director of Internal Resources Central and the Mailroom  explained. Because of Calvin’s declining enrollment, and therefore fewer tuition dollars to spend on resources, both sides of the student-to-staff ratio continue to shrink.

Nieuwsma said he did not see a better alternative, and trusts that “the administration is smart and has looked at all the options.”

He appreciates the student workers, but admits that there are some less than ideal aspects such as having a higher turnover rate, which also means people don’t build up quite as much experience over the years. There is also the transition of class schedules to consider, which makes for some rough patches at times when students are unavailable.

“Everyone does a little more in the mailroom now,” said Nieuwsma.