Into Print, The University of Iowa Business Services' quarterly newsletter, aims to educate, inform, and entertain its readers, with a goal of fostering positive communication between the department, its staff, and its clients.

November/December 2000 Into Print cancelled: Your November/December 2000 issue of Into Print was not misplaced or lost in the mail--it was never printed. Because of the editor's extended absence due to medical reasons, the issue was not produced. Thank you for your continuing support of and interest in this publication.

TypeStrikes

General news
Postal rate changes affect variety of services used by University
University Diversity Committee seeks input
Business Services employees active in learning, networking, publishing
Training, education opportunities available for our customers

Central Mail System
Hungry for information? Chew on these bits and pieces
Character Counts: Meet Lou Eichler

Laundry Service
Laundry opens new lines of communication
FAQs, and answers

Materials Management
It was a smooth ride on herd book deliveries
2000 - 2001 Herd books still available
List of papers stocked at General Stores

Printing Department
Recycled envelope use goes up
Estimates can help you plan printing orders
Software we support
Job number? Probably right in front of you
Creature feature! True stories from the front line

We are . . .

Business Services directory

The ranking is based on annual sales and the number of full-time employees. The Printing Department has annual sales of $7.84 million and 66 full-time and 13 part-time or temporary employees.

The magazine states that "size alone does not make one in-plant 'better' than another. Still, we feel the in-plants on our list are models of efficiency. We have...found them to be extremely cost conscious and customer focused....They are not only large, they are extremely well-run." The list includes the U.S. Government Printing Office, Boeing, Allstate, Wal-Mart, and several universities, including six other Big Ten schools.

Persons on the Business Services mailing list, that is, those who regularly receive Into Print on campus, automatically receive the calendars. Extras are available on request for those who need more or who are not on the mailing list. Call 384-3723 or e-mail jenean-arnold@uiowa.edu, and provide your name, department name, room number, building, and the quantity of calendars you need.

"Under protest" means the rates increase while the case is sent back to the Postal Rate Commission for reconsideration of certain elements. Similar actions took place in 1980 and 1990 and on a somewhat limited basis in 1994 and 1997. The following information describes some of the changes pertinent to many departments at the University.

First-Class Mail
Single-piece letters and cards: The single-piece, first-ounce rate for letters, flats, and parcels increased by 1 cent to 34 cents. The rate for each additional ounce decreased, from 22 to 21 cents. The nonstandard surcharge and postcard rates remain the same, at 11 cents and 20 cents respectively.

Express mail: There was a 3.8 percent increase in rates for express mail. Next-day and second-day service one-pound rate increased from $11.75 to $12.25; two-pound and flat rates increased from $15.75 to $16.00.

Business Reply Mail
The first-ounce letter rate for qualified business reply mail increased from 30 to 31 cents; each additional ounce costs 21 cents. The card rate was reduced to 17 cents.

Standard Mail
Standard (bulk) Mail weighs less than 16 ounces and includes printed matter, pamphlets, catalogs, newsletters, direct mail, and merchandise. The average rate increase was 7.7 percent, and the maximum weight for automation letters was reduced to 3.3 ounces.

Priority Mail
Priority Mail--defined as First-Class Mail weighing more than 13 ounces and, at the mailer's option, any other matter, including regular First-Class Mail, weighing 13 ounces or less-had a 20 percent increase.

There is a new $3.50 rate for one-pound Priority Mail. Formerly, mailers paid the same rate for all pieces weighing less than two pounds.

The two-pound rate increased from $3.20 to $3.95. This rate also applies to flat-rate envelopes and to matter sent in a flat-rate envelope provided by the Postal Service regardless of the weight of the piece. This rate is available for items weighing up to 70 pounds.

Package Services
Package Services (formerly called Standard Mail (B)) is the new name for mailable matter that is neither mailed nor required to be mailed as First-Class or Standard Mail, and is not entered as periodicals (unless permitted or required by standard). It consists of four former subclasses: parcel post, bound printed matter, library mail, and media mail (formerly called "special standard").

The major structural changes for Package Services are the addition of destination dropship discounts for bound printed matter and the elimination of local rates.

For the first time, all Package Services parcels weighing less than 16 ounces may be mailed at Package Services rates. The current minimum weights are one pound for bulk bound printed matter, one-and-one-half pounds for single-piece bound printed matter, and two pounds for parcel post. Media mail and library mail have separate rates.

Overall, parcel post rates increased by 1.3 percent, media mail by 4.9 percent, library mail by 4.5 percent, and bound printed matter by 18.1 percent.

A number of other changes, which will be covered in the next issue of Into Print, include delivery confirmation, signature confirmation, insurance fees, certified mail, COD, registered mail, return receipt, and periodicals.
Lou Eichler

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Below is a membership list of the current committee members. You may contact any of them with campus diversity issues you would like brought to the committee's attention. You may also visit with the entire committee during its regularly scheduled meeting time. To do so, contact the chair, Sue Buckley, directly to make arrangements.

University of Iowa Diversity Committee
Sue Buckley, chair......susan-buckley@uiowa.edu
Phyllis Chang......phyllis-chang@uiowa.edu
Carolyn Colvin......carolyn-colvin@uiowa.edu
Jacqueline Comito......jacqueline-comito@uiowa.edu
Joe Coulter......joe-coulter@uiowa.edu
William Decker......bill-decker@uiowa.edu
Diane Finnerty......diane-finnerty@uiowa.edu
Robert Foldesi......robert-foldesi@uiowa.edu
Shams Ghoneim......shams-ghoneim@uiowa.edu
Laretta Henderson......laretta-henderson@uiowa.edu
Philip Kutzko......philip-kutzko@uiowa.edu
Diana Leventry......diana-leventry@uiowa.edu
Belinda Marner......belinda-marner@uiowa.edu
Susan Mask......susan-mask@uiowa.edu
Steve Parrott......steven-parrott@uiowa.edu
David Rosenthal......david-rosenthal@uiowa.edu
Janice Simmons-Welburn......j-simmons-welburn@uiowa.edu
Billie Townsend......billie-townsend@uiowa.edu
Lee Vasquez......lee-vasquez@uiowa.edu

Lee Vasquez attended the National Association of College Auxiliary Services annual conference in Las Vegas.

Gary Anderson, Steve Poggenpohl, and Lee Vasquez attended the Big Ten-plus Materials Management Conference at Michigan State. They toured the general stores, mail, and surplus operations and took part in presentations on gas cylinder tracking, Web security, and Web-based ordering.

Networking and sharing ideas is an important part of such conferences, says Anderson. "For some time we have been sending copies of Into Print to my associates at the various universities. I was pleased to hear comments about how much they enjoy our newsletter and how much good information it contains," he says. Most of the Big Ten Schools, Iowa State, and the universities of Maryland and Kentucky were represented.

Lou Eichler has published an article in College and University Business Administration, a publication of the National Association of College and University Business Officers. The book is a reference for administrators in higher education.

General Stores and online ordering: Staff Development class provides information about General Stores; includes MIGS and SIGS training. Contact Judy Rockafellow, General Stores.

Mailing: On-site presentations tailored to fit each department's needs. Contact Lou Eichler, Central Mail.

MIGS and SIGS: Training for using General Stores' online ordering systems. Instructions also are on the Web at www.uiowa.edu/~fusmm/stores/migs/migs.html and www.uiowa.edu/~fusmm/stores/sigs/sigs.html. Contact Judy Rockafellow, General Stores.

Printing Plus: March 8, 2001. Class provides a comprehensive look at the Printing Department and how to work effectively with it. Register online, at www.uiowa.edu/~fusstfdv, or call Staff Development, 335-2687. Contact Jenean Arnold, Business Services, for more information.

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Chain letters illegal in Campus Mail
Chain letters are disruptive and annoying. It is illegal to distribute them through Campus Mail. The UI Operations Manual states, The use of Campus Mail is restricted to official University business. Private express statutes of the United States Federal Code declares this type of activity as illegal. Fines, fees, and possible jail terms may be levied upon perpetrators.

Mail to U.S. territories, possessions not international
Mail to U.S. territories and possessions is not international mail and does require the two-letter abbreviation plus a ZIP code. These are American Samoa (AS), Federal States of Micronesia (FM), Guam (GU), Marshall Islands (MH), North Marianna Islands (MP), Palau (PW), Puerto Rico (PR), and the Virgin Islands (VI).

Return address needed
The Postal Service requires a return address on First-Class Mail for nondeliverable mail to be returned to the sender. The USPS Domestic Mail Manual states, A return address must be used. If the return address is a multiple delivery address, it must show an apartment, suite, or room number.

And for really quick turnaround...
An industry study conducted in a controlled environment under ideal conditions, where the work was uninterrupted and the materials replenished for the participants, showed the time required to hand fold and insert mailpieces into envelopes was 4.7 hours per thousand pieces. One of our inserting machines can do the same task at a rate of 7.5 minutes per thousand.
Lou Eichler

Lou was born in Iowa City but raised in Little Rock, Arkansas. He returned to Iowa in the mid 1950s. Before joining the University he was "president, CEO, and chief janitor" of his own publishing company, he says.

In 1982 he became manager of the Publications Order Department, now part of General Stores. He has seen many changes over the years, but says he "likes the challenge" of keeping up with them.

In 1999 Lou was elected vice president of the National Association of College and University Mail Services and has served on the Mailers Technical Advisory Committee to the Postmaster General. He has also contributed articles to several trade journals.

Lou lives in Iowa City with his wife, Fran, who works in Dermatology at UIHC. They enjoy spoiling their three grandchildren, says Lou. They also enjoy golf and have taken in several tournaments, including the Senior Open in Des Moines and the U.S. Women's Open in Wolf Run, Wisconsin. Lou also makes custom golf clubs and admits that he already has metal set aside to make clubs for his grandchildren.

Making furniture is also one of Lou's interests. He designed and constructed a blanket chest for his wife, and when they couldn't find the type of bedside tables they wanted, he built them. Lou tells of his wife's reaction to the $130 bill for the cherry lumber he used to build the chest. "Isn't that a lot to spend for lumber?" she asked. He laughs when he recounts her surprised reaction to the $1,300 price tag they saw on a similar chest not long after.

Another of Lou's hobbies is fishing. He likes to fish for trout if he is fishing from the bank, but if he is in a boat on an Iowa or a Minnesota lake, he likes fishing for walleye.
Pamela Young

Young, a secretary in the Department of Psychology, is contributing to Into Print through an internship program administered by Staff Development.

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Vasquez implemented a schedule of regular meetings at which employees could share information about their different work areas and learn how each supports the others and the department in general. In March 1999 meetings for each area of the plant--sorting and washing; finishing and packaging; and uniforms and dust control--began. A total of 40 employees, including mechanics and motor vehicle operators, made up the three groups. The management staff participated in the meetings as well.

The first few meetings covered protocol. How the meetings would be conducted and how team members would conduct themselves were discussed, and ground rules and boundaries were set. Action items were also set and then reviewed at the start of each meeting to check on their progress.

The first few meetings demonstrated that clearly management was interested in each person's opinion. Employees were allowed to express any dissatisfaction with past or present processes. Old issues were cleared up and the group focused on the future. Initially each group met at two-week intervals, then every six to eight weeks.

A fourth team was established later. Two members from each group were chosen by their peers as representatives. The first order of business was to tour each area. For some, the tours were a real eye-opener. Team members realized there were misconceptions about work processes in all areas of the plant. Now when this group meets, it focuses on how an issue affects the entire plant, instead of on the individuals' particular areas.

Gray and Vasquez believe that sharing information freely is a key to the success of these meetings. For example, now financial statistics are shared with team members. The total number of pounds processed each day are separated by linen type and then posted so employees in each area can track their own efficiency. Budgeted dollars versus actual dollars spent is discussed. Thus employees become more aware of how their job performance influences the bottom line. "Employees want to understand what makes our business successful and how their efforts contribute to this success," says Vasquez.

Q. Do you supply t-shirts?
A. Laundry Service supplies polo shirts, not t-shirts. Laundry supplies polo shirts at the request of a department. Polo shirts have a collar and button-front placket; t-shirts do not. They come in many colors. Departments that purchase t-shirts do so from off-campus vendors.

Q. How many uniforms do I get?
A. Most employees are issued eight pairs of jeans or pants and sixteen shirts-eight summer and eight winter. Their employing department makes the decision on quantity.

Q. When can I come pick up my uniforms?
A. You don't need to. Clean uniforms are delivered to you by our staff.

Q. Can I get my shoes here?
A. No, you must purchase shoes at the General Stores Safety Shoe Concession, 1225 S. Gilbert St., or from an approved vendor. Contact General Stores for more information about the shoe concession.
Jo Anne Worley

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When you're delivering 20,000 herd books (that's 34,000 pounds), you start with the residence halls. In an hour and a half, you have delivered 3,845 of them. Then to the book stores, and within three hours you're 25 percent done. "Already we've ripped off a huge chunk of that elephant, and I'm visualizing I'll be able to eat it," says Burch.

The directories arrived at General Stores two days ahead of schedule. Customers were notified via the Stores e-mail listserv, "and then the orders started coming in. Merlene [Hruby, customer service representative] is constantly clearing the printer because the printer is going mad!"

Burch divided the campus into five delivery zones: east side, west side, General Hospital, Oakdale, and the hospital pavilions. The first day, storekeeper Gregg Roling delivered to both hospital zones. The next morning, all the Oakdale orders went out. "Now, 48 hours later, all you see is two zones left," Burch says.

They also delivered right away to "our big dock stops that we go to on a daily basis--Dentistry, Bowen Science, Pharmacy, and LCUA. We tied them in with their daily deliveries. Whenever I can, I tie it in with their regular order so we don't have to go back."

"We'll keep eating big chunks--the buildings with more than one order are the ones we'll go to first. Not that the others aren't important, but I want to take care of the big chunks first. I'll put these on the back burner for now." Delivery of "back burner" orders will likely be the next day--a difference of, perhaps, four to six working hours. "My goal is to have them all done by tomorrow noon."

The first stop is Lindquist Center, at Instructional Technology Services. Then up to Psychological and Quantitative Foundations. "200 down, 7,900 to go!" he says. "This will trigger another influx of orders. Those I'll tie in to their regular orders."

"Another reason to do the big chunks first--the process slows way down as you go," he explains as he works his way through the warren of Lindquist Center. In the dean's office at the College of Education, he hands over the goods. "That's 12. Ten and two, right? If it's not, send me back to third grade!"

"I can't help myself," he jokes on the way out. "If they call me to complain about the delivery guy, I'll tell them I'll get on him!"

On to the Communications Center, then Jessup and Macbride. No place to park at the Jefferson Building; they'll have to wait. Over to OPL. In two hours he's delivered about 800 books to 16 different rooms in five buildings, jumping on and off the flatbed truck, hefting cartons of directories and wrestling with a delivery cart longer than he is tall at each one. "I hate this cart!" he says. It's a workout.

Within four business days of the books' arrival, 95 percent of the orders were filled. "The key is to do this and not slow down the other part of our operation. So it's business as usual, plus this."

One bite at a time.

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The initial step in the estimating process is providing printing specs to the customer service representative. Next the customer service representative will give these specs to the estimator, who will prepare the estimate. Usually you will receive your estimate within a couple of work days if the printing will be done in-house, but a quicker turnaround time is possible.

Many factors must be considered when preparing an estimate-quantity, inks (black ink, colored ink, or full color), stock, size of the finished piece, binding, photos, and the kind of press used, such as a DocuTech or offset.

To get the most accurate estimate for your job, be specific and have as much information as you can. A mockup, sample, or similar printed piece is helpful. Also, if you are working within a budget, be sure to tell the customer service representative. She can make suggestions to help you stay within your limit. An estimate is a rough idea of cost based on the information you provide to the Printing Department. Frequently the final price varies from the estimate because of customer alterations. Increased quantity or a change in size can add to your cost.

When you request an estimate, you may want to know the price of several different quantities. The price per item decreases as the quantity increases. If you use 6,000 sheets of letterhead a year, it is less expensive to order 6,000 at once rather than 1,000 every other month.

Or, you may want to compare different types of stock or several colors of ink. The cost of stock is generally a small portion of the total printing cost and may add significantly to the appeal of your finished piece.
Pamela Young
Young, a secretary in the Department of Psychology, is contributing to Into Print through an internship program administered by Staff Development.

Generally, the programs the department supports are considered standard for the printing industry. In conformance with the software industry, the department supports the current versions of those programs and the immediate predecessor to each version.

To be sure your software is compatible with the department's and avert potential production troubles, contact Mike Cash or Chris Swart before setting up a file that you plan to send to Printing.

Look for a current listing of software supported by Printing Department at www.uiowa.edu/~printsvc/prodsvcs/services/dsktopubs/support.html.

If you ask about a job in progress, use the job number for the fastest response. If you order a reprint or revision, use the number of the most recent piece to assure that we start with the correct version. An older number may be helpful if you can't find the current one.

The five-digit number is usually placed at the end of the copy or near production information. Ask your customer service representative about adding the number to desktop-published pieces.

The process: An electronic file on disk was sent by the customer. It was imposed (organized in printing pairs), filmed, and a blueline proof was made and sent to the customer.

The problem: Upon seeing the blueline, the customer made small but important editorial changes such as correcting grammar, punctuation, and the spelling of names on seven of eight pages. The entire file was imposed and filmed a second time. This increased the cost of the order by 19 percent.

The solution: Edit and proofread copy before sending the file to Printing for filming.

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We are . . .