Hampshire College May Close Sooner Than Expected

When Hampshire College President Jennifer Chrisler announced on April 14 (see also here) that the college would close permanently at the end of the calendar year, she outlined a completion pathway for Division III students—the final capstone stage of a Hampshire education, typically completed in a student’s fourth year—to finish their degrees on campus. This pathway included housing, classes, and support services for the fall 2026 semester.

That may no longer be the case. In an email to the Hampshire community on Saturday, May 30, the college announced that it might lack the funds to remain open in any capacity for the fall term.

Chrisler stated that the college currently does not have enough money to cover the teach-out—an arrangement in higher education that allows enrolled students to complete their degrees with minimal disruption when their college closes or discontinues a specific program. “We are actively exploring options to secure the necessary financial resources in time for the teach-out, and we remain optimistic,” she said.

“From the outset, the board and I understood that successfully implementing the teach-out would require careful financial planning, additional fundraising, and close collaboration with our financial partners to ensure we had the resources necessary to fulfill our commitments,” Chrisler added. “While we continue to move forward on all these efforts, several developments have introduced enough uncertainty that it is important to share that information with our community.”

If the college can remain open for the fall semester, Chrisler said it will maintain a 17-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio. More than 200 faculty and staff members at Hampshire are set to be laid off without severance on June 16.

Many students were counting on the final semester, planning to push through the summer and fall to complete their degrees. Some have not applied to other institutions. For those who did, many have been told they will have to repeat years of college and that their financial aid will not transfer. Meanwhile, many faculty members were hoping to teach in the final semester, as hiring cycles in academia have largely ended.

Chrisler did not offer a timeline for resolving the uncertainty but said there will be updates in the coming days. “I recognize that this update comes at an already difficult time,” she said. “I am deeply sorry for that. Nonetheless, I believe sharing this information now is the responsible course of action.”

Read More

• Hampshire College May Close Earlier Than Planned (Higher Ed Dive)
• Hampshire College Warns It May Not Have Funds to Complete Final Semester (Boston Business Journal)
• Town Hall Explores Possibilities for Continuing Hampshire’s Mission (Amherst Indy)