Commonly Asked Questions

Can I send packages to my SPO before the Fall semester starts?

Absolutely! Please be sure to use your full Luther Mailing Address (see below) when shipping items to campus. Because space in the Mail Center is limited, please try to send items no sooner than two weeks before you arrive on campus.

When do packages arrive at Luther?

Deliveries arrive at the Mail Center at various times throughout the morning and the afternoon. Packages are sorted and scanned in as soon as possible. An email will be sent to you automatically as soon as your package is ready for pickup. Note that certain vendors (such as Amazon) will send you an email notification when your package has been delivered. Please allow the Mail Center staff a minimum of thirty minutes from the vendor notification to process your package.

How long are packages held at the Mail Center?

The Mail Center will hold student packages for 15 days.

Packages not claimed after 15 days will be forwarded to the student’s home address (when possible) or Returned to Sender.  It is the student’s responsibility to pick up their packages in a timely manner or to contact the Luther Mail Center to make other arrangements.

Can I receive same-day delivery and grocery delivery?

The Mail Center advises against using same-day or insta-cart style delivery services (such as Walmart Delivery). These delivery types do not include tracking or complete student names. Often these packages are left in the Dahl Centennial Union outside of Mail Center window hours or at other locations across campus. The Mail Center is not responsible for lost or mis-delivered packages left outside the service window.

Can I receive refrigerated items and perishables?

Perishable items must be picked up within three business days of notification. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to refrigerate items overnight. The Mail Center reserves the right to discard any perishable deliveries not picked up within three business days. If you have medications that require refrigeration and storage, please address them to Luther Health Services.

Will the Mail Center hold my packages over break?

Yes!  The 15-day holding period for packages will be extended over breaks, J-Term, and the month before classes start in the Fall.

I am off campus and sent a package to the Mail Center by mistake!

The Post Office will forward Ground Advantage and Priority packages free of charge.  Most packages sent via UPS or FedEx cannot be forwarded.  In addition, most other postage services provided by the USPS, such as Lightweight or Parcel Select (free shipping from Amazon, for example), are not eligible for forwarding.  Packages not eligible for forwarding can be returned to sender at the student’s request.  The Mail Center can also facilitate a return on your behalf.  Simply send a return label to mailcenter@luther.edu and we’ll do the rest.  If a package cannot be forwarded and you need it mailed to you, you are responsible for any new postage.

How long will the Mail Center hold my mail?

Students attending in-person classes will have their mail held at the Mail Center for the entire academic year.  Students who are studying abroad or attending another off-campus program will have their mail forwarded accordingly.  If you are off-campus but would like your mail held, please contact the Luther Mail Center.

Can I send money to another person’s SPO or mail drop on campus?

USPS does not prohibit sending cash by mail; however, we request that students do not send cash through campus mail/SPO whenever possible.

Can I have a friend sign for and pickup my package?

Yes, you will need to email the Mail Center at mailcenter@luther.edu and tell us the name of the person authorized to pick up your package.

How much does it cost to mail something?

Please see the USPS Website for current postage rates. For UPS and FedEx, please contact the Mail Center for a quote.

What is my SPO# or my combination?

Information can be found on norsehub.luther.edu.  If you are unable to locate your SPO# and combination, please ask at the Mail Center window and we will look this information up for you.

How do I open my SPO box?

Using your combination you found on norsehub.luther.edu complete the following steps:

1. Turn LEFT FOUR times, stopping on the first number.
2. Turn RIGHT ONCE and then go past the second number and back around, stopping on the second number in your combination.
3. Turn LEFT and stop on the last number in your combination.  Don’t go past it.
4. LAST STEP: Holding the knob turn RIGHT very-slightly while pulling on the knob and the door should open.

If needed, ask for help at the window when the Mail Center is open and we can help you practice opening your box.

Check out our video help for opening your SPO box.

How do I address a letter or package for mailing?

Please see our help guide.  Stop by the Mail Center if there are any further questions.

What is my Luther College mailing address?

Your Full Name
SPO box number (not room number, if you are unsure omit that information)
Luther College
700 College Dr.
Decorah, IA  52101-1041

I am leaving campus or need my mail forwarded to an off-campus address, how do I tell the Mail Center?

Please fill out this online form.

Does the Mail Center sell USPS Forever Stamps?

You can purchase USPS Forever Stamps and Postcard Stamps from the Mail Center.  We accept cash or check, no cards.  You can charge your student account while it is active (August 10th through April 30th).

How do I obtain a parking permit?

Please apply here for your Vehicle Parking Permit. When your permit application has been processed, the Security Office will send you an email. They will then bring your permit to the Mail Center where we will check it in as a package (we do not put them in your SPO).

What is the Luther College mailing address for sending mail to my child?

Recipient’s Full Name
SPO box number (not room number, if you are unsure omit that information)
Luther College
700 College Dr
Decorah, IA  52101-1045

I sent a package to my child, how will they be notified of  the package’s arrival?

Mail and packages are picked up at the local post office before 9am. Other delivery services (such as UPS, FedEx, and Amazon) bring packages later in the morning and throughout the afternoon.  Upon arrival packages are scanned into our TRAC package system. Students are then notified by email that the package is at the Mail Center, ready for pickup.  First Class mail is sorted directly into student SPO boxes–no notification is given.

Does my student’s package require a signature for delivery?

Mail Center staff will sign for the initial delivery from the carrier to the college and then scan it into our TRAC package system. An email will be sent to the recipient on their Luther College email. When they arrive at the Mail Center window, they will be asked to show their student IDs and sign for the package.

How long are packages held at the Mail Center?

The Mail Center will hold packages for 15 days.  Packages not claimed after 15 days will be forwarded to the student’s home address (when possible) or Returned to Sender. Abandoned packages that cannot be forwarded or returned will be disposed of or donated locally.  It is the student’s responsibility to pick up their packages in a timely manner or to contact the Luther Mail Center to make other arrangements.

Faculty and staff, please be sure to include your building and/or department name in your Luther College address when receiving mail. Omitting that information can cause delays.

What is a Shipping Declaration?

The shipping declaration form is only required for packages that need postage applied at the Mail Center. If you have a pre-paid label from a shipping carrier or other third party, a declaration form is NOT required.

Please download, print, fill out and sign the shipping declaration. Include the form with packages
going to the Mail Center.

The form is a half sheet and is designed to print 2-up and double sided.

View Shipping Declaration Form

Can I send out personal mail and packages using the US Mail or UPS?

Yes, we offer many of the same services that the post office down town offers, except for money orders and registered mail. If you need a letter sent by Registered Mail you will need to take that down to the Decorah post office for processing.

What is the postage cost to send by Commercial Mail (bulk rate mailing)?

The United State Postal Service offers discounts on postage costs if we do the task of pre-sorting the mail by delivery entry points (not zip codes) for them. There is a tool at the USPS site (USPS Calculator) to give you a way to estimate the cost to ship your mailing by a presort discount rate–either Media Mail (formally called 3rd-Class mail or Postal Soft by some) or First-Class Presort. Contact the Document Center staff for questions about using that website’s tool.

What is the fastest way to send something?

The Mail Center is able to overnight to any address in the continental US through UPS and FedEx. Please contact the Mail Center staff for a quote.

What is the cheapest way to send this package/mail?

The price of postage depends on how far it is being sent, its size, its weight, and how fast you want it to get there. However, there are a few rules of thumb:

• For small packages we recommend USPS Ground Advantage.
• For overnight and larger packages, we recommend UPS Ground or Overnight.

Please contact the Mail Center staff for a quote.

Does the Mail Center sell stamps?

USPS Forever Stamps are available for purchase at the Mail Center. We accept cash, check, or Staff Charge for personal purchases (no credit or debit cards). For departmental purchases, please provide an active eight-digit CBORD number.