Other Benefits

Educational and Technological

• Hampshire College Early Learning Center: Hampshire-affiliated families are eligible for a 10% discount for daycare, preschool, and other programs for their children (infants through pre-K) through the Hampshire College Early Learning Center. Hampshire College staff and faculty also receive admissions priority over Five College and/or non-affiliated community members. Modest tuition subsidies are granted to income-eligible families. Find more information.
• Tuition Benefits for Staff: There are a number of tuition-related perks available to staff. Find more information about any of these options.
  • Degree program for employees: Employees who qualify may enroll in the College's bachelor of arts degree program tuition-free. This program is available to employees who have been employed full-time (.75 - 1.00 FTE) at the College for two years. The employee must qualify academically and be officially admitted by the admissions office. Participants will proceed through the educational process as regular students.
 
  • One class per semester, tuition-free: Benefit-eligible employees .75 - 1.00 FTE (or their spouses/domestic partners) may enroll in a Hampshire College course for academic credit. Enrollment will be on a "space available" basis. If enrollment in a course requires release time, an employee must complete one full year of consecutive service at the College prior to participation in this plan. This one-year waiting period will be waived if a course takes place outside the employee's scheduled work hours and involves no disruption within his/her office or department.

  • Tuition remission for dependent children: After one year of continuous service,  employees may apply for the tuition remission benefit for one or more dependent children. This benefit provides tuition remission to attend Hampshire College, excluding all fees and room and board. This benefit is prorated; .75 to 1.0 FTE employees receive full tuition and .50 - .74 FTE employees have the tuition prorated. The program is limited to four academic years (need not be consecutive) or until the dependent child earns a bachelor's degree, whichever occurs first.

  • Tuition grant for dependent children: After one year of continuous service, tuition assistance for post-secondary undergraduate education in a degree or certificate program is available to the dependent children of full-time benefited (.75 - 1.00 FTE) College employees. Assistance in the amount of $2,000 per dependent child is available each academic year and there is a $4,000 limit per family per year. This benefit is limited to four academic years (eight semesters), until the child earns a bachelor's degree, or reaches the age of 25, whichever occurs first.

  • Tuition Exchange Program (TEP): Hampshire College is a member of the Tuition Exchange Program (TEP), a private consortium of colleges and universities nationwide that offers tuition exchange scholarships to children of full time employees (1.00 FTE) of member institutions after one year of continuous service. Hampshire College offers the children of eligible employees an opportunity to apply for tuition exchange scholarships for full-time study at other participating institutions.
 This scholarship is limited to one dependent per family.
• Savi- Student Loan Repayment Plan Support.  Start your path to reducing your monthly student loan payment and working toward loan forgiveness with Savi at zero cost to you.  You have access to a robust solution that helps you find the best federal repayment and forgiveness programs for your financial situation. 
  • Hampshire College wants to help eligible employees with student debt take advantage of this money-saving program. And because we are considered a “public service organization” under the rules of the PSLF, you qualify for the loan forgiveness  program as a Hampshire College employee.  This valuable program offers borrowers a way to reduce monthly loan bills, with total loan forgiveness after making 120 months of eligible payments.
  • Visit TIAA.org/hampshire/student today to calculate your savings.
  • Please note: When you click the site above to calculate your savings, you will have an opportunity to enter your specific information, select “Estimate your savings” and “Get started” to enter Savi’s website. When adding your employment information, please select “Trustees of Hampshire College” and use your Hampshire email address to use this free service for employees.
• Borrowing Privileges through the Hampshire College Library: All staff can check out books from the Harold F. Johnson Library with their Hampshire ID card. You also have access to a variety of other materials through the HC library, such as CDs, DVDs, board games, plantable seeds, archives, streaming music and films, and much more! You can also request books from across the Five College Libraries, and even obtain books and articles not owned by the Five Colleges for free through interlibrary loan. Search the library catalog and databases or contact a librarian for more information. We are happy to help you if you have any questions.

• Subscriptions to Magazines, Newspapers, and Journals: The Library subscribes to numerous popular magazines, newspapers, and academic journals, which are accessible both on and off campus. You can search for the title of a journal or magazine in the library catalog, or you can search across a variety of publications for articles by searching through our databases or by using our “Discover Search” tool. Full text access can be requested, even if we don’t subscribe to a certain journal. Log in with your Hampshire ID when prompted.

• Equipment Borrowing through Media Services: Staff interested in borrowing media production equipment, such as digital photography or video equipment, sound recording devices, etc. (and/or using the media lab spaces), can gain access after completing an online training module. Find more information.
• Free and/or Discounted Software through IT: Staff are eligible for a free download of Microsoft Office 365 by creating an Office 365 account using your Hampshire email address (when starting an Office application for the first time, you must select "Sign in using an existing Office 365 subscription," and then sign in with the Office 365 account you create). Check here for additional software available for your HC computers. For more information, contact techpurchase@hampshire.edu. 

• Computer Purchase Program: Hampshire employees and students can buy computers and software at an academic discount. You can do this online, direct through the vendors. You can also visit the Smith College or UMass computer stores. Email techpurchase@hampshire.edu to get a price quote and/or arrange a purchase order.

• Access to the Center for Design: The Center for Design offers a unique laboratory for the exploration of design and fabrication. This facility is open to all Hampshire College students, staff, and faculty and features a shop equipped for work with metal and plastics and a design lab for manual and computer design. There are no prerequisites to use the facility, and all skill levels are welcome. Find more information.

Culinary, Physical, and Spiritual Well-Being

• Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) Farmshares: Staff can purchase a CSA farm share and pick up fresh vegetables from the Hampshire College Farm Center on a weekly basis, and/or fresh meat on a monthly basis. 

  • Available during the fall semester only, the veggie share feeds a family of four. The farm does not sell half-shares, but it is possible to split a full one with fellow employees or friends. Your share also provides you with access to a pick-your-own garden where you can collect herbs, heirloom tomatoes, raspberries, beans, and flowers.

  • The meat share option is offered in spring and fall, and consists of three monthly pickups of frozen meats, consisting of a variety of cuts of beef, pork and lamb.

  • The Farm Center also periodically sells a variety of foods, such as ginger, popcorn, honey, and maple syrup.

  • The farm is also a great place to go for a walk, ride a bike, go for a jog, or just visit with the animals.
  • Find more information about the HC Farm and CSA options. 

• Resources from the Office of Spiritual Life: Spiritual life resources are available to staff, students, faculty, and alumni of every background. Spiritual, religious, atheist, agnostic, nonreligious, or however you define yourself, they are here for you. This office provides numerous spiritual and religious events and services, such as meditation and yoga, spiritual journey lunches, grief resources, engaged mindfulness, and more. They offer various listservs you can join to receive updates for specific groups as well. Find more information.

• Physical Activity Resources through OPRA (Outdoor Programs and Recreational Athletics): The OPRA program includes the facilities at Robert Crown Center and the Multi-Sport Center. All of the recreational facilities are available for staff, including the pool, sauna (which has some women-only and men-only hours), weight room, track, and tennis courts. Check here for more information about OPRA’s offerings.
  • The MultiSport Center: With four indoor tennis courts, an updated weight and fitness room, and 1/8-mile track. There is also a court overlook lounge area and [self-identified] men’s and women’s locker rooms with showers. This facility is open to students, faculty, and staff, as well as fee-paying members of the community. The facility is free for students and full-time faculty and staff with your Hampshire ID card.

  • OPRA Outings: Every semester, OPRA leads a number of local outings that are open to staff and faculty. Activities include hiking, rock climbing, white-water rafting, and canoeing. OPRA often leads exciting winter and spring break trips to exciting US and international destinations. The fees for these outings and trips vary, but it’s always a bargain.

  • The OPRA Equipment Room is located in the Robert Crown Center, behind the gym. Staff are able to borrow all kinds of outdoor equipment, including cross-country skis, boots, climbing gear, camp stoves, tents, etc.
  • The Bike Shop is located in the Robert Crown Center next to the equipment room. Staff are able to borrow mountain bikes, as well as bring in their own bikes for free tune-ups or repair. Service and rentals are available by appointment only.

  • Classes: Like all Hampshire College classes, semester long OPRA classes such as yoga, rock climbing, and trail running are open to staff.

  • Drop-in Fitness Activities: OPRA offers several drop-in fitness classes. Some classes are open to the whole campus, and others are for staff/faculty only. Nothing will motivate you to get in shape or learn a new activity like a class with a great instructor. Options include yoga, spinning, hiking, strength and conditioning, and more! Access the schedule. (currently reduced due to COVID) 

  • 800 Acres of Beautiful Land: To the far right corner of the tennis courts there is a path that leads through the woods and out to a field with a beautiful view of the Holyoke Range. If you turn right and walk along the edge of the woods, you will reconnect with the path and eventually emerge at the Hampshire Farm. Hampshire has a total of 800 acres of beautiful woods, farmland, and pasture, perfect for a lunchtime stroll or hike. You might want to hike with a buddy if you’re going into the woods for the first time, because the path isn’t always labeled and can be confusing. If you need suggestions or a point in the right direction, the OPRA staff would be happy to guide you.


Off-Campus Discounts and Benefits

These are incentives, discounts, and other benefits provided by outside organizations to Hampshire College employees. These benefits are for personal reference only and are not endorsed or sponsored by Hampshire College.

• Home and Automobile Insurance Discounts: Whalen Insurance Agency offers Hampshire College employees discounts on automobile and homeowners’ insurance. Find more information.
• Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA): Staff and faculty can use the Five College bus service for free with a valid Hampshire ID. Find routes and schedules.

• Eligibility to Join the UMass Five College Credit Union: The UMassFive is a not-for-profit financial cooperative. Services offered to eligible members include federally insured savings accounts, checking accounts, certificates of deposit; a variety of loans (personal loans, mortgages, home equity, home improvement, or automobile loans). To learn more, call 800-852-5886 or visit their website.
• Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art: You receive free admission as a Hampshire College employee, with a valid Hampshire ID.

• The Yiddish Book Center: You receive free admission as a Hampshire College employee, with a valid Hampshire ID.

• Tire Warehouse Discount: Hampshire College employees, with a Hampshire ID or paystub, receive a 20% discount on service and labor (not the actual tires). There are locations in Greenfield and Springfield. Find more information.

• Five College Social: A networking website for members of the Five College community. Through this site you can buy, sell, or trade items; ask for referrals for local businesses and services; advertise or find apartment/home rentals; and advertise or find out about local social events. It might look like a time warp, but this is a very active site – great for everything from finding a plumber to selling your old futon! Find it here, or just google “Five College Social.”

• Benefit Hub: An online discount marketplace where you can enjoy thousands of specially negotiated deals on shopping, travel, entertainment, and health. You can find discounts on:
  • Hampshire College Exclusives
  • Auto Insurance
  • Home Insurance
  • Fitness
  • ScoreSense
  • Pet Insurance
  • Identity Protection

The Benefit Hub is easy to access! Visit the Hampshire College benefit hub, enter referral code: 2XGQWT, and complete the registration.

• Rosetta Stone: Excited to learn a new language? Hampshire is pleased to support you on that journey. You now have the opportunity to learn one or more new languages at your own pace, at any time, and from anywhere. Rosetta Stone offers courses from true beginner to advanced and for individuals who would like to become more fluent in a second or third language. View all languages you can learn. Contact human resources to get access to Rosetta Stone.
• Medicare Advocacy: If you or your family members are approaching Medicare eligibility and/or are already Medicare eligible, Hampshire provides advocacy services through Brown & Brown. These services are voluntary and available at no cost to you. Understanding how Medicare works is important when evaluating health coverage options. Medicare advocates are ready to provide personalized guidance. They will assist you through every step of enrolling in Medicare, including the application process. Watch a Medicare eligibility video to learn more. As you approach Medicare eligibility, an advocate from Brown & Brown Eligibility Services will reach out to you to offer assistance and to answer any questions you may have. You are welcome to contact them at any time: 833.830.2386.

Benefits administered by Human Resources

There are a number of additional employee benefits to which employees are entitled through Human Resources. Visit this page for more details. Information is available under “Benefits” and/or in the Policy Manual.

Examples include:

• Health Insurance, and the numerous discounts & benefits tied to being a BCBS member
• Optional Dental and Vision Insurance
• Details about Parental Leave and other accommodations
• Tuition remission, tuition grant, and tuition exchange programs (see details above)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Reimbursement Account & Health Savings Account
• … and more!