Hampshire College Announces Plan to Close at End of 2026

AMHERST — The Hampshire College board of trustees has voted to permanently close the college following the fall 2026 semester, citing a lack of resources to sustain full operations and meet 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,” according to a public letter released today by the board and college President Jennifer Chrisler. “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 letter notes that, “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,” it continues, noting that attempts were made to increase enrollment, refinance existing debt, and realize new revenue via the sale of a portion of 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.”

The announcement was made with the goal of helping current students complete their education at Hampshire or a partner institution.

“We want to assure you that Hampshire’s board made its decision only after exploring every possible alternative,” the letter continues. “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.”