Summer 2008

Into Print aims to educate, inform, and entertain its readers, with a goal of fostering positive communication between its participating departments, their staffs, and their clients.

In this issue

News briefs

Mailing Services no longer facilitates shipping
New vendor for safety glasses
2008-09 desk calendars in stock at General Stores
Library copiers updated
Employee Van Pool anniversary

TypeStrikes

General news

Flood updates: Mail, Copy Centers, Laundry
IT manager returns to Business Services

General Stores

Central Receiving: the route to reduced campus traffic
Iowa, ISU to co-host Materials Management Fall conference

Laundry Service

Mortland joins Laundry management team
Laundry Service leads in green

Mailing Services

Printing business reply mail? Contact Mailing Services first for zip code
New address requirements for certain mail pieces in '09
Junk mail not all bad...according to Postmaster General

Parking and Transportation

One P&T task: deal with bicycles abandoned on campus
Parking Office still on Capitol St. temporarily
Character Counts: Meet Jim Sayre

Printing Services

Printing Services overhaul in full swing
A few PD calendars left
Wide Media era ends
Wide Media supervisor to PD&C
Looking back: Computerized tracking arrives at Printing

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The University of Iowa Nondiscrimination Statement

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NEWS BRIEFS

Mailing Services no longer facilitates shipping

Accounts Payable, not Mailing Services, now facilitates UPS and FedEx shipping orders. The change took place July 1. Departments must first establish an account through Accounts Payable, then may order directly on the shipper's website. Outgoing packages must be taken to your building's shipping and receiving area. If it does not have one, they may go in Campus Mail. Mailing Services will hold them for pick up at MBSB. Call Accounts Payable, 353-2503, with questions.

New vendor for safety glasses

The vendor for safety glasses, which some departments require their employees to wear while working, changed to UI Optical on July 28. It is on the second floor of Pomerantz Family Pavilion, near Elevator L and the Skywalk Corner Cafe. It is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The phone number is 384-9922. For more information see the General Stores website, www.uiowa.edu/~fusmm/stores/shoes.html.

2008-09 desk calendars in stock at General Stores

The 2008-2009 UI events calendar (8-1/2 x 11, published by the Registrar) is available from General Stores. The stock number is 40000; the cost is 95 cents. Order online in SIGS, or fax a General Stores requisition to 384-3918. These are not the same as the Printing Services calendar set, which will be available in October. Herd books are usually available in November. General Stores does not take early orders for these. It will email ordering instructions to its listserv when they arrive. Contact Judy Williams, 384-3906, with questions.

Library copiers updated

Library patrons are seeing new Bizhub 200 self-service copiers in many more locations, in a replacement project that began in the spring.

Van Pool anniversary

The UI Employee Van Pool will be 30 years old in August. Celebrate!

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TYPESTRIKES

from our typo treasure chest

Wash the incision with soap and water, rinse and pat dr.

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GENERAL NEWS

Flood updates

Mail

Sending mail to relocated departments: When you send mail to individuals who have moved due to flooding, please continue to use their old campus mail address. We will reroute items to their new locations. If your department has returned to its original location: Please let Mailing Services know. Contact manager Kathy Battin with information or if you have questions.

Copy Centers

The Copy Center at IMU (CopyHawk) has relocated to the Mossman Building due to the June flood. It will be known as Copy Center 2 while at MBSB. More than a dozen staff and students cleared all the paper and equipment from the Center in just two days.

Laundry

Laundry washed uniforms for the Army and Air National Guard while they assisted with flood control in Iowa City and Coralville, it cleaned draperies for Mayflower dormitory, and it is drying uniforms for men's athletics. Our main focus continues to be high-level service to all our customers, yet make modifications to ease the burden during flood recovery and clean up. Contact Dave Gray, 335-4940, with questions about changes in service or delivery.

IT manager returns to Business Services

Information Technology manager Dagong Wang has returned to UI after two years at Rockwell. In his position, he provides IT support to General Stores, Equipment Rental, Laundry Service, Parking and Transportation, Printing and Mailing Services, and Surplus.

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GENERAL STORES

Central Receiving: the route to reduced campus traffic

Q:   Ever wonder why you do not see many semi trucks on campus?
A:   University of Iowa Central Receiving. Many trucks deliver University orders to the Mossman Business Services Building (MBSB), two miles from campus on Old Highway 218 South.

Q:   Ever wonder why you ever see large semis on campus?
A:   Departments may not be aware of -- or are not taking advantage of -- this service.

Central Receiving is a UI-funded service that ensures goods are received and delivered in a proper, safe, and expeditious manner. This reduces the shipping and receiving responsibilities of departments, enabling them to focus on their core missions. It has considerably reduced the number of vehicles on campus, as well.

About 3,000 tons of freight arrive each year, with up to twenty trucks coming in daily. Each might contain multiple UI orders. Our dock was designed to handle such traffic. It features eight dock doors and 6,000 square feet for staging. Freight is received, sorted, and reloaded, combining many shipments onto smaller UI trucks for efficient distribution.

Insurance coverage

Our $1 million transportation insurance policy provides protection for shipments from MBSB to the end-user department or dock. If something happens enroute, the MBSB delivery unit would pay the deductible. In the last five years we have not had to use the policy. Central Receiving staff also handle freight claims for departments.

Multiple benefits

Most UI buildings are not set up for deliveries by 53-foot long semis, nor do they have the staff or equipment to unload them. Some carriers refuse to deliver to parts of campus because of congestion and a lack of docking facilities. When docks are busy and access limited, semi deliveries may be delayed by an entire day. We schedule deliveries according to the dock schedules, often as early as 7:00 a.m. when the campus is quiet and docks are available.

Our experienced drivers know the people and the delivery locations on campus and can make sure the appropriate trucks and unloading equipment are used. They know which roads are open, which are closed, and where the docks and unloading facilities are located - and they have access to keys needed for some deliveries.

Sometimes departments use our dock facility as a preparation area to assemble equipment before delivery. Typically we do not need departments to provide additional help unloading large or cumbersome items.

If you would like more information about this service, contact Gary Anderson, Business Services associate director.

Freight delivery guidelines

Iowa, ISU to co-host Materials Management Fall conference

Materials Management officials throughout the country will gather in Iowa City in October to attend the annual Big Ten and Friends Materials Management Conference. The University of Iowa and Iowa State University are co-hosting it this year. Topics to be discussed will include green initiatives, technology initiatives, and office supply contracts. The group will spend one day on the UI campus and another at ISU.

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LAUNDRY SERVICE

Mortland joins Laundry management team

The Laundry Service recently hired Michael Mortland as supervisor in the uniforms and dust control area. His background in the commercial laundry industry includes more than fifteen years as a marketing manager and as a plant manager.

Mike is an Iowa State University graduate (We won't hold that against him!), with a degree in Industrial Management. He was awarded a full scholarship in track and excelled in Big 12 competition. An avid music lover, Mike earned money in college by singing and playing guitar at local events and establishments.

His management philosophy focuses on dedication to customer service, staff, operational efficiency, and organizational management. Feel free to contact him.   — Dave Gray

Laundry Service leads in green

The word of the day is green. Energy conservation has been and continues to be a priority at the Laundry Service. Over the years, the Laundry has purchased state-of-the-art equipment designed to use less water, steam, electricity, and natural gas.

One of the key green systems at the Laundry is the Kemco hot water reclamation system. Hot water used for washing is recycled back through equipment that captures ambient heat to raise the temperature of incoming well water. The heat rise is approximately 50 degrees, which means that hot water heaters use fewer BTUs of natural gas to raise the incoming water temperature to the required production levels. In addition the Laundry consistently revises washing formulas as seasonal climate changes occur, which reduces the need for steam to maintain proper water temperature levels during wash cycles.

Improvements in the technology of hot water production used at the Laundry, in conjunction with excellent maintenance of the boiler equipment by Facilities Management staff, goes a long way toward reducing the overall use of natural gas. Low-energy light fixtures, which were installed when the Laundry building was constructed, reduce electrical use. Making use of ambient heat generated from production equipment to help warm the building during the winter months also reduces natural gas consumption, saving thousands of dollars in heating costs.   — Dave Gray

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MAILING SERVICES

Printing business reply mail? Contact Mail Services first

Mail Services can give you the correct zip+4 code for your business reply mail, so you don't pay more than you need to for the replies. There are three unique 4-digit add-ons to the zip code for business reply mail. Each signifies a different rate. Each rate is for different sizes of mail pieces.

One zip code—and rate—is for postcards up to 4-1/4 inches. The next is for letter-size mail and includes envelopes that are #9 and #10, and those that measure up to 6x9 inches. The highest rate is for envelopes that are larger than 6x9 inches or contain return mail that weighs more than one ounce.

Send us a mock-up of your business reply piece before it's printed. We will tell you the correct add-on to use so that you don't pay more than you should for the replies. Call Kathy Battin for more information.

New address requirements for certain mail pieces in '09

New Postal Service requirements for automated, presorted, and carrier-route flat-size mail are scheduled to take effect in March 2009. Compliance will be necessary to receive discounts. The new standards specify that delivery addresses must be big enough, spaced properly, and placed right-side up within the top half of the mail piece. Polywrapped inserts must maintain this position through processing and delivery.

The top is defined as either of the shorter edges, or the upper edge with the spine on the right, irrespective of the design or orientation of the piece to the user. The permit imprint or meter must be in the upper right corner of the mail piece or address area and the return address in the upper left corner, with both oriented in the same direction as the delivery address.

All presorted and carrier route flats must be addressed using at least 8-point type. Flats using an 11-digit POSTNET or an Intelligent Mail barcode may use 6-point type if the address is printed in all capital letters. Addresses on automation pieces cannot have overlapping characters, touching or overlapping lines, or more than five blank spaces between elements.

The new standards do not apply to first-class or single-piece mail. Visit the Mail Services website for more information. Contact Kathy Battin, kathy-battin@uiowa.edu, at Mail Services or USPS mail piece design analyst* Laurie Bribriesco, laurie.l.bribriesco@usps.com, with questions.

*Mail piece design analysts are Postal Service employees who advise customers on mail piece acceptability for automated rates, review pieces to confirm adherence to Postal Service standards, test paper and samples for thickness, color, flexibility, and barcode tolerances, and analyze pieces for readability.

Junk mail not all bad...

...according to USPS Postmaster General John Potter. "People who use that term fail to comprehend how much of a contribution mail makes to the economy. The United States has over 40 percent of the world's mail, and our ability to communicate and do commerce through the mail with confidence, whether that is responding to a catalog mailing, paying a bill, or getting a product delivered, is critical for our economy," he says.

"When you look around the world, one of the first things new economies want to do is build a post and a logistics network that is connected both in their country and with the rest of the world. When people criticize the mail they don't understand the relevance for our economy or how it contributes to the growth of our economy."

Reprinted with permission from MAIL: The Journal of Communication Distribution. The Postmaster General's comments were published in the May/June 2008 issue. For subscription information call 607-746-7600.

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PARKING & TRANSPORTATION

One P&T task: deal with bicycles abandoned on campus

It's inevitable. Every year dozens of bicycles are abandoned at UI. The reasons vary but the result is the same: unwanted and sometimes broken bicycles are left on campus. To help free up bicycle parking spaces, Parking & Transportation (P&T) places a notice on ones that appear abandoned. The notice informs the bicycle operator the bike appears to be abandoned and instructs him or her to contact Field Services.

Unclaimed bicycles are impounded after seven days and cross matched with Public Safety's record of lost or stolen bicycles. If a match is found, an officer contacts the person who made the report. If a match is not found and the bicycle is not claimed after 60 days, it is deemed abandoned and transferred to Surplus to be sold. The number of bicycles and when they are taken to Surplus varies, but most are sent in the spring and early fall.

Proactively, P&T provides free bicycle registration to help reunite owners with missing bicycles. This voluntary program is offered to all students, faculty, staff, and the general public. Registration serves as a deterrent to theft and assists in the identification of abandoned, lost, or stolen bicycles. You may register your bicycle at the Parking Office, by mail, or online.

Over the years, the reasons given for leaving bicycles on campus have varied. Some people thought it was okay to store their bicycle in a campus bike rack, others didn't want to take it home for the summer so just left it behind. We also have heard they forgot where they parked it, thought it was stolen, and left it because they didn't want to fix it.

To help reduce the number of abandoned bicycles, P&T publishes information in the Daily Iowan asking people not to abandon their bicycles on campus, and it places posters on Cambus buses, various University bulletin boards, and in residence halls.

A considerable number of abandoned bicycles are picked up near the residence halls, so University Housing has helped with the effort by posting notices informing residents to take their bicycles home with them. This has been effective, but P&T continues to look at ways to help reduce the number of abandoned bicycles on campus.   — Michelle Ribble

Parking Office still on Capitol St. temporarily

The IMU Ramp Parking Office is still at 868 South Capitol St. while its facility is being remodeled. It is scheduled to move back to the IMU Ramp on Aug 7. The office will be closed that day and will reopen on Friday, Aug 8. Contact the staff at 335-1475, parking-office@uiowa.edu, for more information.

Character Counts: Meet Jim Sayre

The new associate director for Parking and Transportation, Jim Sayre, has had quite an initiation to his new hometown. An ice storm, record snowfall, tornadoes, endless rain, and a flood that left his department scrambling for creative solutions didn't scare off this Arizona native. Jim, who came to Iowa from a similar position at Arizona State University in Phoenix, oversees Field Services (the enforcement of parking regulations) and Parking Services (the permit program). He thoroughly enjoys it, particularly his interaction with people.

"Parking is very personal -- people love their cars. Some customers are not very satisfied with parking on campus, so we have a discussion with them and try to provide them with options. I like being able to talk to people about our services and tell them why we do things the way we do." Some of the options are lower rates if they use a parking lot further from campus, free Cambus, and reduced-price bus passes.

Jim enjoys Geocaching, a web-based international game, in his spare time. Individuals hide a container with a log book and often something else inside, then give its GPS coordinates and hints to the location on the web. Hunters who find the cache sign the log book and document it on the web. His wife, Tara, a teacher, will begin work at an Iowa City elementary school in August. Jim says they moved here because they were looking for a place to raise a family -- away from the violence and other problems common to large cities.

"Soon after my wife arrived we were watching the evening news and the big headline was that a local high school sports team won a state championship. We just looked at each other and laughed," he says. That, and leaving behind the Arizona heat, have helped make it a good move. And the people. "I'm happy to be here. I've met a lot of great people and look forward to working with them," he says.

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PRINTING SERVICES

Print Services overhaul in full swing

Big changes are under way at Print Services. Old equipment has been removed, what remains has been relocated, and new equipment is coming in. A better ability to meet customer needs and an improved work environment are the goals.

The two Heidelberg presses that printed large-sheet, higher volume work were sold and removed in April. By today's standards the presses were dinosaurs, and the operators demonstrated great skill, producing pieces that many considered nothing short of miraculous. The presses will be replaced by a single, mid-size, four-color offset press.

"The press fills a business and a customer need. The printing industry overall has changed -- color and print on demand have become standard," says Business Services assistant director Chris Kula.

The department's workhorses, the small presses which print UI stationery, envelopes, memos, and other small pieces, and the web press which prints forms, remain. They and some bindery equipment were moved around to create a more efficient workflow. "We consolidated the bindery equipment in one area," Kula says. "We're looking to make it more uniform."

"The Copy Center [the former CopyHawk in the IMU] has been incorporated into the printing operation. We expanded our campus and courier delivery service so our customers wouldn't see a difference in turnaround time with their print jobs. With the capability to send files electronically, it's seamless. The location shouldn't matter," says Kula.

A fervent housecleaning effort has gone on for weeks. Several truckloads of desks, shelves, cabinets, tables, and curiosities went to Surplus. "We're getting rid of nonessentials to make things more efficient and less cluttered, to provide a better, safer work environment," Kula says.

Toward that end, the department disposed of its historical equipment. Printing transferred ownership of several antique pieces to the Center for the Book. It donated its historic Linotype, one of four that were shared by Printing Services and the Daily Iowan for many years, to the Johnson County Historical Society. The Working Linotype Museum in Denmark, Iowa, purchased the remaining equipment to use for display and for teaching at its annual Linotype University.

"We will be working on prepress next. We're getting ready for a computer-to-plate system," says Kula. The changes are "going to provide a more stable work environment at Print Service. This will allow us to move forward, meeting our customers' wishes for the next ten to fifteen years."

A few PD calendars left

We have a few Print Services 2008 calendars left. If you lost yours in the flood and want a replacement, contact Jenean Arnold, 384-3723. The 2009 set will be available in October.

Wide Media era ends

The last day for the Wide Media Service was June 30. The area had produced all blueprints and specification booklets for construction projects for UI. While it was a difficult decision to close the unit, the wide-format industry was dictating a major change in the way blueprints are produced. Rapids Reproduction, in Cedar Rapids, is now producing the plans.   — Chris Kula

Wide Media supervisor to PD&C

Wide media supervisor Janet Wieland has taken a position with Planning, Design, and Construction in Facilities Management. She had worked for the Printing Department in the Copy Centers, accounting, and, most recently, Wide Media, for more than 27 years.

Looking back: Computerized tracking arrives at Printing

Sometimes it's easy to take improvements for granted—electronic tracking, for example. At Printing, tracking was all mechanical until 1991. The following is excerpted from the January issue of Into Print that year:

"One of our department's biggest changes is a new, computerized tracking system. Back in the old days, two or so years ago, the preparation and production areas had large wooden boards on the walls, with different parts of them representing different areas of the plant. Orders were recorded on small cards, which we hung on the boards. As each order moved through the plant, we moved its card to the corresponding area on the board. Finding the cards when they had to be moved took time, and gusts of wind were potential disasters."

Customers who called about their job waited while someone would dash off to the board and scan the cards to locate the right one. Nowadays, thankfully, all it takes is a click of the mouse—and, still, a job number!

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WE LIKE FEEDBACK!

Story ideas

Are there topics we haven't covered that you would like to see in our newsletter? Do you have questions you would like us to address? Send an e-mail to the editor or a memo to Into Print, 129 MBSB.

Address corrections and additions

If you wish to be added to the Into Print mailing list, fill out and send our form. Use only University of Iowa campus addresses and @uiowa.edu e-mail suffixes.

E-mail us

Send questions and comments about departmental topics to:
Bionic Bus
Cambus information
Central Mail
Commuter Programs
Fleet Services
General Stores
Parking Facilities Operations
Parking Services
Copy Center #2, 100 Mossman Building
Copy Center #3, C102 Pappajohn Business Building
Copy Center #10, 180 Boyd Law Building
UPACS and Copyright Service

We are . . .

Business Services: Equipment Rental, General Stores, Laundry, Parking & Transportation, Printing and Mailing Services, and Surplus, serving The University of Iowa community. The print version of Into Print is distributed free and on request to UI faculty, staff, and students.

Contributors to this issue

Gary Anderson/Business Services, Stores, Surplus; Kathy Battin/Mailing Services; Chris Kula/Mailing Services, Copy Centers; Michelle Ribble/Parking and Transportation; Dave Gray, Jo Anne Worley/Laundry.

Editor and web administrator: Jenean Arnold, phone 319-384-3723, 129 Mossman Building.

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