Hampshire College Resolves to Admit Full Class for 2020
AMHERST — In a letter to the Hampshire College community, Interim President Ken Rosenthal said the school is committed to admitting a full class for 2020, only a few months after the troubled institution decided to admit only a partial class this fall.
“At its meeting last month, the Board of Trustees voted to ‘resolve to admit a class for fall 2020 and proceed with the steps necessary to do so successfully,’” Rosenthal wrote. “People have asked, why is the board confident they can enroll a new class next fall 2020 when they voted four months ago not to accept a full class for fall 2019 and spring 2020? What changed? The answer is, the remarkable, historic outpouring of support this spring from Hampshire alums, friends, and people who believe in our college. We are deeply grateful for the unprecedented energy and giving to secure an independent Hampshire.”
Rosenthal said the college and its board are working on a number of fronts simultaneously. These include:
- Reinforcing its governance and leadership;
- Defining and improving its value proposition;
- Restructuring its business model so it is sustainable, and continuing to operate efficiently and reduce costs where possible;
- Renewing its academic program;
- “Leading a successful fundraising campaign, one more ambitious than any before, including building our endowment;”
- Investing in improving the student experience on campus and upgrading campus facilities to benefit recruitment and retention
- Continuing to participate fully in the Five College Consortium for the benefit of our students and employees
The school is also making strides toward hiring a new president. “Our Presidential Search Committee reports we have attracted excellent, highly qualified candidates,” Rosenthal wrote to the Hampshire community. “The committee has narrowed the field, with the goal of naming a new president this summer.”
