The Simpson College mailroom has an unclear future. Simpson’s SGA hosted an open forum in Black Box Jan. 25, 2023, where questions about the mailroom were answered by administrators. 

“This is a very new conversation, even for us, so I would say stay tuned,” President Marsha Kelliher said. 

The mailroom is towards the back of the agenda when it comes to the Kent Campus Center renovations coming this year. However, President Kelliher made it clear the mailroom was not going away. 

“It’s new news to me that we’re totally doing away with the mailroom,” Kelliher said. “What we have looked at is ways to reconfigure and be able to use a little bit of that space for other things, but we are not looking to do away with the mailroom in its entirety.”

President Kelliher also said the mailroom is potentially moving.  “What we are looking at is if there is a better way to do things or is there a better place on campus. Certainly nothing has been decided along those lines,” she said. 

Concern has risen for those who work in the mailroom, both students and non-students. 

Gabe Bruns, a freshman working in the mailroom, has concerns about renovations.

“We’re kind of mad because of the proposed renovations to Kent because it’s going to put us right in the middle of it,” Bruns said. “Obviously, we’re going to have to either shut down or going to have to stay in operation with all the demolition going on around us.”

He worries the mailroom isn’t being prioritized in the renovations. “They haven’t given it any thought during the renovations of Kent,” he said.

Gabe Bruns isn’t concerned about job security, but he would miss it if his job were to go away. “I love my job in the mailroom,” he said. 

He says he would rather stick with his job in the mailroom than look for a new job. He believes the mailroom is essential for the Simpson College campus. 

“Lots of people do order a lot of packages,” he said. “I don’t really see a different alternative to the mailroom.”

Jessica Danielson works part-time in the mailroom while working her job in the business office. She states the mailroom will not be going away, but it may look different in the future. 

As far as employees who work in Kent Campus Center, Heidi Levine made it clear there should be no concern about job security. 

“We will need the people working there to be working someplace else,” Levine said.