Bryn Mawr College

Please note: The test listed below has been suspended based on good response from the community and further analysis of our systems, allowing us to more accurately pinpoint affected individuals. The date of the change has been modified to allow us to successfully reach the affected individuals and prepare them; a new date will be announced later this week. –AP 2/17

On February 18, 2009 at 5pm, the POP protocol will be deactivated on the College email server. Additionally, we will be adding security for those using the IMAP protocol. This will necessitate changes for people who use email offline and for mail merges, and may necessitate changes for others using email clients such as Eudora or Thunderbird.

A 24 hour test will be conducted beginning February 10 at 9am; during this time, POP will be deactivated as we assess who will be affected.

Just over a year ago, IS presented a plan for making email better, more supportable, and more secure while providing integrated communications functionality (i.e. Calendar and Contacts, etc. via the same tool) and availability “from anywhere”. This change is the final stage of the move to the Bryn Mawr Communications Center which began on June 6, 2008.

Why is this change necessary?

• This change is the final stage of the move to the Bryn Mawr Communications Center which began on June 6, 2008.
• POP is a way of accessing e-mail wherein the e-mail client (such as Thunderbird or Eudora) downloads the entire message and all attachments from the server. The client can optionally be set to leave this mail on the server Inbox for a certain amount of time, allowing access from other locations, but the primary storage of e-mail occurs on the user’s computer. We are moving away from this method for several reasons:
  • If the user’s computer is damaged, mail can be irrevocably lost.
  • Mail and sent items are available only from the computer (or computers) where it has been downloaded, and only a limited amount of recent mail is available from Webmail.
  • If a user wants to access email in multiple locations, it is difficult to synchronize.
  • If the computer is accessed by an unauthorized person, downloaded email is not secure or protected.
  • The cost of storage has gone down dramatically allowing us to provide significantly larger mail storage on the college system.

Using IMAP without SSL transmits passwords in a less secure way.

How do I know if I will be affected?

• If you only use the Communications Center (i.e. Webmail) to access your email, you will not be affected.
• If you are using an email client such as Eudora, Thunderbird or Apple Mail, you *may* be affected, depending on your settings.
  • People who are set up to use IMAP may be affected by this change; a small settings change may be necessary.
  • If your client is configured to use POP you will be affected
  • If you are not sure which you are using, please contact the Help Desk for assistance.

What should I test during the test period?

• Check your email as you usually do from each computer where you usually access your email. Note and report any errors which occur.

What should I do if I am using POP?

• Familiarize yourself with the Communication Center (http://webmail.brynmawr.edu). (Please note that this is now Bryn Mawr’s supported method to access your email)
• Contact the Help Desk to speak to a technician about your current set up. We can provide assistance in moving to the Communication Center

What if the change happens and I haven’t called or had my mail moved?

• Don’t worry; your mail has not been lost!
• New email can be accessed via the Communication Center
• Old mail will continue to be accessible through your local mail client, though the client will not be able to download your new mail
• Contact the Help Desk to speak to a technician about your current set up. We can provide assistance moving to the Communication Center and possibility unifying your email.

What services can IS provide?
Bryn Mawr Information Services (IS) will transfer email you have stored in your “local client” into the Communication Center on the web at no charge. To take advantage of these free services, your computer must meet the following criteria:

• Your computer must use Windows XP or Vista or Macintosh OSX 10.3 or higher and be no more than three years old;
• Your current mail client is one we recognize and can migrate safely (such as Eudora and Thunderbird);
• If your computer is not owned by the College you will need to sign an indemnification form releasing the College from any liability for any damage to your computer or loss of data;
• Schedule a time to bring your computer to the Help Desk in Guild lower level, and leave it for up to 3 business days. We can accommodate only a limited number of requests at one time, but we will do our best to arrange a date that works with your schedule;
• We will transfer up to approximately 1 GB of data (which is significantly more than most people need or use). If your email is much larger, we will work with you to produce an archive folder on your computer.

Other personal computer services are available from the College for a modest fee; we may recommend such services if your machine is in clear need of support.

What if I need offline mail access?
Please contact the Help Desk to speak to a technician. We have additional solutions to accommodate these needs.

Learning more
If you have any questions about this email change, or you are pretty sure you need helping changing your email client, please email

1. Bryn Mawr College Help Desk: help@brynmawr.edu
2. Subject Line: “Email Request”
3. Include your request and/or any questions you have.
4. Include your phone number and times you can be reached during normal business hours. Let us know the best way to contact you.

You can also find background information and access Quick Tips sheets for your reference at http://www.brynmawr.edu/is/isir

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