Separate an alumni magazine from fundraising mail

Ask the university which office controls each mailing. The alumni magazine and the giving appeals may come from different offices, such as alumni relations and development, so a single request might change only one of them. Once you know who sends what, write to each office about its own mail.

By Junk Mail Magic. Updated October 2, 2026.

Match each piece to an office

Sort recent mail into two groups: the magazine or news publication, and anything that asks for a gift. Copy the return address and any office name printed on each piece.
On the university's official website, find contact details for alumni relations and for development or advancement. Some schools use a different name for the fundraising office.
Ask alumni relations whether it handles the magazine and what postal options it offers for it.
Ask development whether you can stop printed appeals without changing the magazine, and whether the two offices keep separate mailing records.
Record each office, the date and your wording in the worksheet below.

What a mail request covers

Asking to stop appeals is a mailing preference. If you have a recurring gift, a membership, event tickets or a subscription, ask the office that handles it whether a mail change affects it. Do not assume either way. If a scheduled gift should continue, say so.

If the school has a communication preference form, read what it says about postal mail. An email unsubscribe may not cover paper.

Worksheet: alumni mail by office

Example for your own use. Replace the bracketed details and review what you share.

Name as printed on mail: [name] Mailing address: [address] Magazine sender (office): [alumni relations / other] Magazine choice: [keep / stop / ask about digital] Appeals sender (office): [development / advancement / other] Appeals choice: [stop printed appeals / keep] Giving or membership to leave unchanged: [describe or none] Date contacted and contact used: [date, email or form] Answer received: [notes]

When a new piece arrives

Check the office name and return address against your worksheet. If an office you already contacted sent it, reply to that office and quote your earlier request. If it came from a department, class committee or athletics group you have not contacted, ask that sender directly.

Official source

FTC: How To Stop Junk Mail

Ask about a digital association magazine Ask to keep a charity newsletter but stop appeals Keep donation receipts while reducing appeals Combine notes from repeated requests to one sender Membership preferences All practical mail guides

Have an unwanted advertisement ready?

Photograph one piece you are authorized to handle, with the sender and full mailing label visible. Review the details before submitting. The first request is free; the sender controls the response.

Try one request free