There is a problematic setting included in the latest version of the Mail application that comes bundled with OS X 10.10 Yosemite. If you use Apple’s Mail client to check your Swarthmore email, you will need to turn this setting off.

The Mail application will now attempt to automatically change your email settings without warning, even when your email is working correctly. The automatic changes won’t necessarily be correct for your email account, and have caused issues with Swarthmore’s email settings.

To stop this automatic configuration from occurring, make the following adjustments:

1. In the Mail Application, pull down the Mail menu to Preferences.
2. Under the Accounts tab, select your Swarthmore account.
3. Pull down menu next to Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP) and choose “Edit SMTP Server List“.

4. Select the Swarthmore server and then choose the Advanced tab.
5. Un-check the box that says “Automatically detect and maintain account settings”

6. Click Ok.
7. Back at the Accounts window, choose the Advanced tab.
8. Un-check the first box that says “Automatically detect and maintain account settings”

You may need to change this setting for your non-Swarthmore email accounts as well.