Hampshire College to Close Permanently at Year’s End

Hampshire College President Jennifer Chrilser announced this morning (3/14/26) that the Hampshire College Board of Trustees voted to permanently close the college at the end of the Fall 2026 term.  Hampshire has been struggling for several years to remain financially viable and to recover from a dramatic drop in enrollment when it decided not to admit an incoming class in the Fall of 2019. Hampshire’s accreditor, The New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE), announced in June during its annual review of Hampshire, that the college must prove it is sustainable (see also here and here).

In an email to the Hampshire Community, Chrisler said, “Despite this herculean effort, the financial pressures on the college’s operations have become increasingly complex, compounded by shifting external factors. We are faced with the clear, heartbreaking reality that progress on each of these three key factors has fallen far short of what we had hoped.”

Hampshire had been following a five-year sustainability plan to revive enrollments and secure financial stability after it almost closed in 2019, with a goal to increase enrollment, raise $60 million (it raised $55 million), and raise revenue by selling off some of the school’s land.

The entire campus community was invited to a community gathering today (3/14/26)  at noon in the Robert Crown Center to hear directly from President Chrisler and Board Chair Fuentes, followed by smaller-group conversations with trustees and college leadership.

In her email, Chrisler, elaborated on the decision:

“The rationale behind this painful vote reflects several realities. The College no longer has the resources to sustain full operations and meet our regulatory responsibilities. The inability to substantially grow enrollment would mean extraordinary cuts to our operating budgets to educate the student body we can reasonably anticipate. Additionally, the degree of short-term debt tied to our land assets means that even a favorable sale would not change our long-term financial trajectory given current enrollment.”

“The timing of this decision assures that we can leverage the institution’s limited financial resources to facilitate a transition that allows our current students to complete their undergraduate education (either here or at a partner institution), is respectful of our faculty and staff, maintains the value of a Hampshire College degree, and honors the lasting legacy of Hampshire and its alumni. “

Addressing the concerns of Hampshire students Chrisler said,

“Every day we’ve spent as leaders at Hampshire has shown us the importance of what you do here. We know this is an incredible disruption to the trajectory you had planned for your college experience, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to support you in completing your studies.”

“The College is working with the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education and the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) on teach-out plans that would prioritize students’ academic progress. That planning, subject to approval, includes two pathways: Division III Completion and Transfer.”

“The Completion Pathway allows Division III students to complete their degrees at Hampshire College. We are using summer field study to prepare students to complete their independent Div III project during the Fall 2026 semester. Students completing their degree with us will have campus housing and supports available for the fall semester.”

“The Center for Academic Support and Advising (CASA) will review the standing of advanced Division II students to identify those who may be eligible for an accelerated path to degree completion at Hampshire by December 2026.”

She also noted that Hampshire has transfer agreements in place with a number of partner institutions include the other four colleges in the Five College Consortium, who will work with Hampshire students to facilitate the transfer process.

She closed with:

“Hampshire’s board made its decision only after exploring every possible alternative. Nearly every trustee is an alum, and we share in the community’s heartbreak. Yet we know that you will come together, as you always do, to support each other and take much-deserved pride in what makes this college unlike any other.”

“Since its founding in 1965, Hampshire College has been home to a group of deeply curious, creative people who have radically reimagined the liberal arts, using a singular, distinctive model designed to change and respond to the most pressing issues facing society. We remain unwavering in our belief that the experience a Hampshire College education provides is exactly what the world needs. For more than five decades, our remarkable students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends have brought the College’s motto, “To Know Is Not Enough,” to life. We are committed to preserving this profound legacy and to ensuring that the story of Hampshire’s unique and audacious vision will continue to serve as an inspiration to bold, iconoclastic thinkers well into the future.”