The relocation of the Mississippi State University post office is likely in conjunction with renovations of the YMCA building.
The post office, found in the basement of the YMCA building across from Colvard Student Union, may be relocated in a proposed renovation of the historic building.
Bill Kibler, vice president for student affairs, said though no plans have been made, MSU will submit the YMCA renovation for approval by the Institutions of Higher Learning board later this month. The IHL board must grant permission to MSU before the renovations can begin.
Once the renovation is approved, a new location for the post office and other offices housed in the YMCA building will be chosen by considering many factors, Kibler said.
“There are a lot of things to consider: they need to have adequate space; they have to have access to a loading dock as the mail comes in and out; they need to have some parking access —  all of those things,” Kibler said.
“I don’t want to get out ahead of that and say ‘it’s likely to go here’ because that could change before a final decision is made,” Kibler said.
He also said the relocation might be permanent if the new location enhances the service of the post office.
“It depends on the adequacy of the alternate place: if we are able to move the post office to a location that is a bit more accessible and might have better parking closer to it, it might make sense for it to stay where it is,” Kibler said.
The relocation would not occur until at least 2012, both Kibler and master planner Roger Baker said. MSU must wait for funds to become available after receiving approval for the renovations.
“It could be as early as two and a half years, but it also could be seven or eight years,” Baker said.
Baker said the master planning committee would discuss whether the post office would return to its location after the renovation.
“We’re exploring the options with the goal of trying to better serve our students with that space, being in that real central core of campus. We don’t want to displace the post office so far out of that area that (it) would be inaccessible for people,” Baker said.
Several students said they like the convenient location of the post office and might use it less if the location was not in the center of campus.
Layton Smith, senior software engineering major, said he thinks the post office location in the center of campus is convenient and likes to use his post office box as a stable address during the school year.
“I like it being on campus, but I don’t really care where. As long as it is on or near the drill field, it could be wherever,” Smith said. “It’s the only address that has been constant the whole timeI’ve been in school.”
Nina Garcia, freshman mathematics major, said she uses the post office frequently because it is close to her dorm. Garcia said she might not use her box as often if it was not convenient.
“I use the post office at least once a week, if not more. I like the current location; it’s very convenient. I would continue to use it if it was moved but less frequently,” Garcia said.
Kibler said the relocation would affect Starkville residents doing business at the post office, as well.
“We also have people out in the city that hold post office boxes in the YMCA. My hope is wherever it might be relocated might enhance the ability of customers, be that student customers or residents of Starkville, to access the post office better,” Kibler said.