The Spring Hill College mailroom switched a portion of the mailboxes to combination locks over the summer.

Although confusing at first glance, after speaking with Ms. Leola Sanders, the manager of campus mail, the new locks have been further explained. As of this semester, the mail room is no longer in charge of keys on campus. Campus security now handles all housing and mail keys for students and faculty alike. Due to this change, the mail room will be gradually switching the key locks to combination locks as mail keys are turned in by graduating seniors and students leaving the college.

The combination locks are rather expensive, so it is more financially feasible to purchase and implement these new locks over a period of time rather than all at once. However, despite the rationale behind the change, some students were confused regarding their mailbox situation. Spring Hill junior, Caroline St. Paul remarks, "I took a semester off and told the school I would be back in the fall, and upon my return I discovered that my mailbox had a code box on it and been given to a freshman." Sanders explained the process, and the situation became more clear. If the previous user of a mailbox had left the school permanently or temporarily, and did not return their mail key, then their mailbox was switched over to the combination lock. If the students who temporality left chose to return to campus, then they were assigned a new mailbox number, and given a new key.

In regards to the switch, Sanders said, “Maybe it’s a good thing. We were having a lot of problems with the keys.” They have found it is easier for students to keep up with a code either written down, or documented on their phones, than to keep up with a key. However, some students have been choosing to leave their mailboxes unlocked rather than put in their combination consistently. The mail room cannot be held responsible for any mail taken, and Sanders advises students to start double checking their lock before they leave.

Sanders has worked at Spring Hill since 1980, and claims she comes in everyday “for the kids.” From moving the location to Walsh Hall from the student center, to mail slips being placed in the mail boxes when packages are ready at plan-ops, she has witnessed multiple changes being made to the mail room over the years. Because of this, Sanders has a good understanding of what kind of plans will work. She sees this transition going smoothly and she is excited for all of the locks to be switched over.