Hampshire College Closure Announcement
Find information

Closure Information

A message from President Jennifer Chrisler and the Board of Trustees

Seven years ago, the Hampshire community presented the College with a powerful mandate: to maintain independence and remain true to Hampshire’s deepest-held values. Since then, we have all worked together toward those goals, facing daunting challenges with the ingenuity and resolve that define the best of what happens here. We left no stone unturned, no solution unexplored, and made many sacrifices along the way. 

Despite this herculean effort, the financial pressures on the College’s operations have become increasingly complex, compounded by shifting external factors. As President Chrisler has shared regularly with our community and our regulatory agencies, we worked aggressively to increase enrollment, refinance existing debt, and realize new revenue via the sale of a portion of our land. We have long known that addressing these issues is essential to establishing a stable financial foundation, supporting long-term operations, and meeting regulatory requirements. 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.  

As a result, the Board of Trustees voted to permanently close Hampshire College following the fall 2026 semester. 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.

We write today to share this information and what it means to you as early as possible. This web page offers information about what this decision means for members of our community and details on next steps. We have assessed and planned for much of what needs to happen going forward, but many details need to be resolved, and we will offer more information in the coming days. Continue to check this page for updates.

We want to assure you that 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.

Sincerely, 

Jenn Chrisler, president
 
Jose Fuentes 05F, chair of the board 

Elle Chan 87F, chair-elect 

For our Current Students

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 planning that protects students’ academic progress. That plan includes two pathways: Division III Completion and Transfer.

CURRENT STUDENTS Q&A

  • Our current plan for the Completion Pathway would allow 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 student support available for the fall semester.

  • We plan to maintain key services in residential life, student engagement, and compliance to ensure a stable and supportive campus environment through the final semester. We anticipate that students who remain on campus will have access to housing in the mods, along with regular community dinners held twice per week in the Dining Commons. Mental health counseling services will be available, and students will have access to post-graduation career and educational planning support.

  • Subject to the approval of the teach out Completion path by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education and by NECHE, Hampshire College will remain fully accredited with approved degree granting authority from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Throughout the process of Completion path. All students who complete their degrees at Hampshire College will obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree from an approved, fully accredited college. The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education is actively engaged with the College to help ensure that completing students who are eligible for a Hampshire College degree receive one.

    Transcripts and academic records are permanently preserved and will remain accessible to you. Through December 31, 2026 these records will be held at Hampshire College. Find instructions about how to request a transcript here. After the teach-out period, transcripts and academic records will be held at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. More information about how to request a transcript at that point will be provided in the coming months.

  • The Transfer Pathway supports Division I and Division II students in good academic standing; it can also be used by Division III students who may not want to complete their study at Hampshire by fall 2026. 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. 

    Hampshire has agreements in place with a number of transfer partner institutions: 

    These institutions are in the process of partnering with Hampshire to develop specific credit mapping procedures aimed at enabling the smoothest possible transition for our students. Hampshire’s Center for Academic Support and Advising (CASA) will assist you with selecting an institution and preparing needed documentation to transfer.

  • The College will host a transfer resource fair on campus prior to the completion of the spring 2026 semester. Students should check their Hampshire email regularly for more information. Throughout the teach-out, staff in CASA and financial aid will support students in their process. Resources and further information will be updated on this page.

  • We will hold Commencement on May 16, 2026, for eligible graduates, and a streamlined Commencement ceremony next winter for those who complete in December.

  • Our counseling team is available to provide support and resources to students in managing this transition. Counseling will continue to be available throughout the transition period.

  • Staff in CASA will be available to counsel all students about the options available to them and the best way to meet your academic needs. We recognize that every student has a unique set of goals and we will work collaboratively with you to identify the best path.

  • For students who want to pursue the Completion path, we are requesting your commitment by April 30.

  • Division III Students who will be returning to Hampshire for the fall 2026 semester will be assigned housing in a mod (on-campus apartment). You will receive direct communication from Residential Life about your housing for the fall. We are committed to giving you as much advance notice as possible. Students utilizing Field Study during the summer toward Division III completion are not required or expected to be in residence on campus. 

    Students who have applied for summer housing will receive direct communication from the Office of Residential Life. 

    Campus residencies will close for the spring semester as planned on May 17, 2026.

  • The financial aid office is currently reviewing financial aid applications for the next academic year. Through this review process they will determine federal, state, and institutional aid eligibility. Financial Aid offers for continuing students will be posted for those applying for aid prior to billing as long as the 2026-2027 FAFSA application is completed by May 1. Students must also maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress as outlined in the student handbook to be eligible for financial aid. Continuing international students do not need to resubmit the CSS Profile.

  • Students will receive credit transfer information from their institution of their choice before committing to that institution. Colleges who have agreed to prioritize credits from Hampshire College will work with our students to ensure transfer the maximum credits possible and thereby ensure timely degree completion.

  • Due to the unique financial aid programs across the institutions accepting transfers from Hampshire, students will apply directly with their future college for financial aid. Our financial aid counseling team can assist with this process.

  • We appreciate the collaboration of our Five Colleges Consortium colleagues. They are supporting our students in two ways: first, by continuing to offer access to a diverse array of classes and academic opportunities during the summer and fall semester; and second, all of the colleges are accepting transferring Hampshire students according to Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) which each college has signed together with Hampshire.

  • We have dedicated staff available to answer your questions and help you navigate next steps. These are listed at the bottom of this page.

    For questions specifically related to student loan discharge, students can learn more about the process online at the U.S. Department of Education’s Closed School Discharge website or contact the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General’s Student Loan Assistance Unit. 

    In addition, the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education provides an informal process to facilitate complaint resolution. The Department's online complaint form is available to currently or formerly enrolled or admitted Hampshire students that experience difficulty with closure, transfer, or admissions processes.

For Accepted Students

One of our reasons for announcing this news now is to ensure that you can fully consider your other options. All deposits will be refunded. In addition, our admissions team would be happy to provide information for admitted students who put down a deposit to support exploring other options. Please email admissions@hampshire.edu.

FOR FACULTY AND STAFF

Faculty and staff are the heart of our institution. We cannot offer enough appreciation for your efforts to maintain our students’ academic and student life experience during a challenging time. A limited number of staff and faculty will be essential to properly support students completing their degrees at Hampshire College. A number of roles and positions will be ending as we focus limited financial resources on the essential work of helping students complete their degrees. 

The staff and faculty reductions will happen in waves, with the majority of employees ending their employment on June 15. Every employee will receive at least 60 days notice. 

We are moving quickly to determine which roles will be impacted and during what timeline, and will notify those employees most immediately affected by Monday, April 20, 2026. Additional announcements to employees will be communicated over the remainder of April. The final determination about the number of staff and faculty who will remain through the end of the teach out period is highly impacted by the number of students who choose the completion pathway.

Faculty and Staff Q&A

  • Our priority is supporting students as they navigate this transition. Staff decisions will align with student needs over the next several months. We expect that all current college employees (both faculty and staff) will remain in their current positions through June 15. Final determinations will be made as it becomes clear how many students will participate in the Completion Pathway and what resources (both academic and student life) will be required to support these students.

  • We are working with our elected officials and state government leaders to activate the MassHire Rapid Response which is a free, proactive state service designed to help employees navigate reductions, layoffs, or closures. The team provides on-site services, such as job placement, retraining, and unemployment assistance to minimize disruption and support dislocated workers. Employees should watch their emails for further information about that.

  • Faculty who remain on staff will be expected to continue their typical academic, student advising and support roles.

FOR ALUMNI, FRIENDS, AND DONORS

Hampshire's alumni are among the most passionate and engaged of any institution in the country. You have carried the values and the mission of this place into the world, and those values do not end with the College’s final semester. 

Transcripts and academic records are permanently preserved and will remain accessible to you. Through December 31, 2026, these records will be held at Hampshire College. Find instructions about how to request a transcript here. 

After the teach-out period, transcripts and academic records will be held at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. More information about how to request a transcript at that point will be provided in the coming months. 

We believe that Hampshire's legacy deserves an ongoing life, and we are exploring how alumni can help shape what that looks like.

Alumni, Friends, and Donors Q&A

    • You can support current students in job placements. We’ll have Hampshire Network through December. We hope to still have groups of alumni in major cities organize career focused events in June. 
    • You can donate to support scholarships for students completing their studies next fall. 
    • You can join us for Commencement 2026 on May 16 and for a December 2026 Commencement and legacy celebration date TBD.

  • Future gifts to Hampshire College will be used in compliance with our regulatory duties and to maintain operations during wind-down. Restricted endowment funds remaining after the teach-out period will be distributed in alignment with their charitable purposes according to the guidelines set forth by the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General.

Community Members and Guests Q&A

  • The Early Learning Center will cease operations at the end of the spring 2026 semester.

  • All three cultural institutions are independent of Hampshire College and are expected to continue operations. We are working with the leadership of these organizations to assure that any logistical or other issues created by the College’s closure are addressed.

  • Events at the Red Barn will continue as scheduled through December, 2026. Deposits for events booked in calendar year 2027 will receive their deposits back.

  • Existing rentals of campus facilities, including for summer 2026 camps and programs, will continue as planned through December, 2026.

  • The Farm will wind down operations during the next several months.

General Q&A

  • Over the past several years, the financial pressures on the College’s operations have become increasingly complex, compounded by shifting external factors. The College worked aggressively to increase enrollment, refinance existing debt, and generate new revenue through the sale of a portion of its land. Despite these efforts, progress on each of these key factors fell significantly short of what was required to establish a stable financial foundation and sustain long-term operations. The College no longer has the resources necessary to continue full operations while meeting its regulatory responsibilities. 

    After careful consideration, the Board concluded that, given current enrollment trends and financial constraints, continuing operations would require reductions that are not viable and would not change the College’s long-term trajectory.

  • Our plan is to offer students a path to degree completion during the summer and fall 2026 semesters and close at the end of December 2026.

  • For several years, the College pursued a wide range of efforts to maintain independence and strengthen its financial position. 

    These included: 

    • Raising more than $55 million in unrestricted operating support and expanding fundraising efforts across foundations, alumni, and major donors 
    • Investing in enrollment growth through marketing, recruitment partnerships, expanded financial aid, and new student populations 
    • Redesigning the academic program to strengthen its distinctiveness and appeal 
    • Attempting to refinance debt multiple times and engaging a wide range of potential financial partners 
    • Exploring land sales and other strategies to generate new revenue from campus assets 
    • Pursuing partnerships and collaborations, including with the Five Colleges consortium and other institutions 

    These efforts reflect a dedicated, sustained, institution-wide commitment to identifying a viable path forward. Despite this work, the College was not able to achieve the financial stability required to continue operations.

  • The decision to close Hampshire College was made by the Board of Trustees. The Board reached this decision only after exploring all available alternatives and evaluating the College’s financial position, enrollment outlook, and long-term sustainability. Many trustees are alumni and members of the Hampshire community, and the decision reflects a shared recognition of the challenges facing the institution.

  • Yes. Hampshire College will remain fully approved and accredited throughout the teach-out process. The College is working closely with the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education and the New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE) to ensure that all students who complete their degrees during the teach-out receive a degree from a fully approved and accredited institution. 

    All teach-out plans are subject to approval by these regulatory bodies and must meet established standards for academic and institutional resources.

Contact Us

This block requires the "Enable floating privacy settings tab and withdraw consent banner" to be enabled in EU Cookie Compliance settings.