STUDENT GRADE CARDS NO LONGER BEING MAILED

   COLUMBUS -- The U.S. Postal Service expects to process its heaviest load of the year this week as holiday greeting cards are mailed. But 55,000 Ohio State University student grade cards won't be part of it this year. Ohio State has joined a growing list of institutions that no longer mail grades to students. Instead, students are sent their grades directly via e-mail. Students can view their grades on computer screens or hear them through an interactive voice response telephone system.

   "We're trying to communicate with students better and smarter," said Michael George, associate registrar for student support. "Many students have told us that they don't need the paper grade reports. Not mailing more than 50,000 envelopes will allow us to focus our resources on improving services to students."

   The university anticipates a savings of approximately $19,000 in mailing costs alone, which will be reallocated to optimize information access for students via technology. All Ohio State students have private Internet access accounts that they can use to register for classes, check on financial aid and bills, update personal information, view grades and grade history, and find other important information. Students were notified three times during autumn quarter that grades would be distributed electronically and not mailed to their homes.

   George says the system allows students to see their grades much more quickly. "Grades were processed Monday night (12/13) and were available on Tuesday (12/14) morning. On Tuesday, 12,417 students saw their grades on the Web," he said. Another 4,087 had listened to them on the telephone.

   Grade reports can be printed from the Web, along with fee statements and registration materials. But for now, Ohio State will continue to mail the latter materials to students' local or home addresses, depending on the time of the quarter.

   Official printed copies of grades are available, free of charge, by request. Students may request them, in person or in writing, from the University Registrar on or after Dec. 20. Grades will be mailed in three to five business days.

Contact: Michael George, (614) 292-9330