Hampshire College to Close This Year: Caused by Financial Pressures and Declining Enrollment

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Hampshire College, a liberal arts institution located in Amherst, Massachusetts, announced it will permanently close after the fall 2026 semester.

This difficult decision was made by the Board of Trustees on April 14, 2026, following a series of prolonged financial pressures and a significant decline in student enrollment.

Hampshire College President Jennifer Chrisler stated that the board had explored every possible alternative before arriving at this decision.

The closure is the result of a combination of declining student enrollment, substantial long-term debt, and stalled progress on land development, as reported by The Guardian.

Final-year students (Division III) will still be permitted to complete their degrees at Hampshire College during the fall 2026 semester.

Meanwhile, first- through third-year students (Division I and II) will be facilitated to transfer through existing agreements with partner institutions, including Amherst College, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, and UMass Amherst.

Hampshire College faced serious financial problems, with recent audit revealed that the college had over $20 million in debt and a $3.7 million operating deficit by 2025.

The college's total debt reached $24.9 million at the end of fiscal year 2025, with over $20 million of long-term debt transitioning to short-term debt following a bond covenant violation in June 2025.

Hampshire College's $26.5 million endowment (as of fiscal year 2024) relies heavily on student tuition to maintain its viability.

Despite significant fundraising efforts, including a "Change in the Making" campaign targeting $60 million, the college only managed to raise $55 million.

The decline in student numbers was a crucial factor in the decision to close Hampshire College.

In 2019, the college admitted only 19 first-year freshmen.

This situation was exacerbated by the board of trustees' decision in February 2019 to admit only about 60 students for the fall 2019 semester.

Student enrollment continued to decline from 844 to 750 students (an 11% decrease) in fall 2025.

Hampshire College also failed to meet its enrollment target for that year, enrolling only 168 students out of a target of 300.

Despite efforts to rebuild enrollment to 1,200 students, only 716 students were enrolled in fall 2023.

The crisis at Hampshire College began about seven years before the closure announcement, around 2019.

In January 2019, President Miriam Nelson announced plans to seek a strategic partner and the possibility of not accepting the fall 2019 class.

After nearly closing in 2019, Hampshire College followed a five-year sustainability plan to revive enrollment and secure financial stability.

Edward Wingenbach was appointed the new president in August 2019, initiating efforts to revise the curriculum.

However, by early 2026, Hampshire College was again facing financial difficulties after enrollment declined from 842 students in fall 2024 to 747 in fall 2025.

In March 2026, the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) placed Hampshire College under supervision due to accreditation issues related to enrollment shortfalls and financial viability.

NECHE cited the inability to refinance its $21 million bond debt, a "decreasing unrestricted endowment," and the failure to sell a plot of land as the primary reasons.