General Questions

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.