My school is doing something immoral, is it illegal too?

Vesayen · September 25, 2003, 11:21

My school didnt have enough mail boxes for all its students for several years, so what did they do?

Do they make more mail boxes? Of course not! They simply force complete and total strangers to share them! Done this for the last 3 years I've been told.....

I am now sharing a mail box with some girl I have never even met let alone know if I trust with acess to my mail.... you were pre-approved for a credit card? Well your postal box sharer only has to do a fake signature send it in and spend money on your expense! besides a dozen other terrible scenarios I can think of that have happened EVERY year this sharing policy has been in effect.... thoughts?

duke o' york · September 25, 2003, 11:29

Is this a snail mail box, or an e-mail box?

If the former, what in the hell kind of a school do you go to? If the latter, then just stop using it. In fact, as far as both are concerned, just stop using it altogether.

FrustratedPoet · September 25, 2003, 11:32

Opening somebody else's mail without their permission is illegal AFAIK.

Q Classic · September 25, 2003, 11:32

meet the girl, strike up a relationship, and get married.

then you won't have this problem.

MikeH · September 25, 2003, 11:33

Quote:

Originally posted by FrustratedPoet
Opening somebody else's mail without their permission is illegal AFAIK.

Certainly is in this country.

Vesayen · September 25, 2003, 11:34

Sharing a regular box.... its a very prestigious school too.

The point isnt that opening someone elses mail is illegal, the point is that the school has a situation where it is VERY easy to do so, and where it has happened many times.

FrustratedPoet · September 25, 2003, 11:36

I doubt you're the only person upset about this. Surely there must be some kind of Student's Union who can put pressure on the school authorities?

It does sound tremendously shitty.

duke o' york · September 25, 2003, 11:36

It used to be the case that from the moment the post went into the post box to the moment it went through the door of the addressee, then the post was the property of the Queen (or king, but I can't remember that far back) and to tamper with the Royal Mail was a major offence, treated more seriously than other offences that might seem equally trivial. Maybe it still is the case, but since the Consignia rebranding then maybe it's not considered Royal Mail any more.

SlowwHand · September 25, 2003, 11:53

Call the Post Office. Go to the source.
It would seem illegal to me.

centrifuge · September 25, 2003, 11:58

Quote:

Originally posted by Vesayen
.... its a very prestigious school too.

Then they should be able to afford more mailboxes...

rev · September 25, 2003, 12:23

I don't think there are laws saying that only one person or entity can lay claim to a mailbox. It is, however, illegal for anyone else to open or read your mail.

My school (Whittier College) had a similar problem (too few mailboxes), so they held a bunch of student mail in the post office, and students had to pick it up during certain hours by showing I.D. God, I hope they've fixed that by the time I go back in the spring.

Japher · September 25, 2003, 12:24

Is the school "required" to give you a mail box?

Inverse Icarus · September 25, 2003, 12:43

Quote:

Originally posted by Japher
Is the school "required" to give you a mail box?

if you live on campus, yes.

ves, just make a scene about it. call the post office, tell them whats happening, and how you feel about it. if they don't help you, just b1tch and moan until someone listens

Jack_www · September 25, 2003, 12:59

Quote:

Originally posted by Vesayen
My school didnt have enough mail boxes for all its students for several years, so what did they do?

Do they make more mail boxes? Of course not! They simply force complete and total strangers to share them! Done this for the last 3 years I've been told.....

I am now sharing a mail box with some girl I have never even met let alone know if I trust with acess to my mail.... you were pre-approved for a credit card? Well your postal box sharer only has to do a fake signature send it in and spend money on your expense! besides a dozen other terrible scenarios I can think of that have happened EVERY year this sharing policy has been in effect.... thoughts?

I would go down to the post office or someother place that rents mail boxes and get your own. I believe that there is no law against this.

Jon Miller · September 25, 2003, 13:27

my college did this to some people

my grad school does not do it (to the graduates)

Jon Miller

Immortal Wombat · September 25, 2003, 14:18

Quote:

Originally posted by Vesayen
I am now sharing a mail box with some girl I have never even met let alone know if I trust with acess to my mail.... you were pre-approved for a credit card? Well your postal box sharer only has to do a fake signature send it in and spend money on your expense! besides a dozen other terrible scenarios I can think of that have happened EVERY year this sharing policy has been in effect.... thoughts?

Try one of those awful scenarios, and then see if the school sees sense.

St Leo · September 25, 2003, 22:42

Quote:

Originally posted by rev
I don't think there are laws saying that only one person or entity can lay claim to a mailbox. It is, however, illegal for anyone else to open or read your mail.

My school (Whittier College) had a similar problem (too few mailboxes), so they held a bunch of student mail in the post office, and students had to pick it up during certain hours by showing I.D. God, I hope they've fixed that by the time I go back in the spring.

Hi, Adam.

Imran Siddiqui · September 26, 2003, 00:06

Quote:

They simply force complete and total strangers to share them!

Why is this immoral and/or illegal? Most people in my undergrad university had to share their mailboxes, so what?

And no, it definetly isn't illegal (or else it would be illegal for roommates to have one mailbox). It is illegal for the other person to steal your mail though.

Kirnwaffen · September 26, 2003, 00:28

The school should probably fix the problem for liability reasons. I don't think it would be too far fetched for them to be held civily liable for any damages that resulted from the policy. Somehow, I don't see this being something that there would be a law about. Not exactly a common problem...

:) Smiley · September 26, 2003, 00:48

At the very least they could at least group people by room, which is what they did when I was a freshman. Each room had 1 mailbox in the central building, each room 2 or 3 people.

Felch · September 26, 2003, 01:05

Seriously, the best idea is to hook up with the girl. You get security and poontang.

Kirnwaffen · September 26, 2003, 01:11

Question is, will she cost more than the credit card fraud?

Skanky Burns · September 26, 2003, 01:14

But then if he strays and some other girl starts writing him love letters . . .

MrFun · September 26, 2003, 01:51

At least your school is not having a bake sale where prices are based on race of the buyers . . .

Imran Siddiqui · September 26, 2003, 01:54

They should

.

MrFun · September 26, 2003, 02:21

Oh, be quiet and eat your Oreos.

Imran Siddiqui · September 26, 2003, 02:24

Which I had to pay .50 for

. (Actually I have no idea how much Subcontinentals had to pay)

MrFun · September 26, 2003, 02:25

Quote:

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Which I had to pay .50 for

. (Actually I have no idea how much Subcontinentals had to pay)

Imran Siddiqui · September 26, 2003, 02:31

Though I wonder how that would have gone if the guy behind the table was a minority.

Anyway, [/end threadjack]

Bosh · September 26, 2003, 03:00

This is pretty common in colleges, my college did the same. No need to be paranoid, the worst that will happen is your boxmate will leave all her stuff in their and it'll be a pain to check your mail.