‘An incalculable loss’: Hampshire College to close doors after fall semester
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- Hampshire College, a small liberal arts school in Amherst, Massachusetts, will close permanently after the fall semester due to low enrollment and financial difficulties.
- The board of trustees cited ongoing financial pressures, insufficient enrollment growth, and challenges in refinancing debt despite efforts to increase revenue and cut operating budgets.
- Final-year students will be allowed to complete their degrees on campus with continued housing and support, while underclassmen can transfer to partner institutions through established agreements.
- Commencement ceremonies will proceed as planned in May, with an additional ceremony for December graduates, and deposits for accepted students will be refunded.
- The closure reflects a wider trend of college shutdowns in the U.S., highlighting concerns about the viability of the liberal arts education model amid economic and social challenges.
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