Hampshire College officials don't have sufficient financial resources to cover a final fall term, the school announced over the weekend.
The college announced this spring it will permanently close because of overwhelming debt.
President Jennifer Chrisler said in a statement released to students on May 30, 2026, there is enough uncertainty about the school's finances the community needed to know. Currently, there are not enough available funds to cover the costs of keeping Hampshire open into December.
"From the outset, the Board and I understood that successfully implementing the teach-out [a final term for students graduating and students transferring to another school or program] would require careful financial planning, additional fundraising, and close collaboration with our financial partners to ensure we had the resources necessary to fulfill our commitments," Chrisler wrote.
As diligently as she and the board are working to address the closure, "[o]ur financial modeling shows that presently the college does not have enough available funds to cover the expected expenses for the teach-out," Chrisler said.
The board is actively exploring options to secure the necessary financial resources in time for the teach-out, and they remain optimistic, she said.
"At the same time, we believe it is important to share this information now so that members of our community can make informed decisions about their future. This is particularly important for students as they consider transfer options ahead of a number of June 1 deadlines. It is equally relevant for faculty and staff who are evaluating opportunities related to the teach-out," Chrisler said.
Katie Seibel is the parent of a Division III Hampshire College student who would be graduating in December.
She said she was hopeful the funds can be found, but was also surprised to hear the news from her son.
"How can't you forecast potential futures?" Seibel said. "I do this all the time in my job. I'm a department chair. I have to be looking 5 years down the line. I have to be looking at the enrollment cliff that we're all facing."
Seibel, a community college professor in teacher in Portland, Maine said it is unconscionable the college wasn't aware of this ahead of time.
"[My son has ] these really specific scholarships," Seibel said, connected to his father's employment.
After hearing the most recent news about the college's closure timeline, Seibel said the scholarship no longer appears listed as an option for the employee tuition exchange program.
"I don't even know if Hampshire will will be a participant in that program anymore," Seibel said. "I'm still waiting to hear back from from that particular financial aid office."
More transparency from the college, in this particular situation Seibel said, would be helpful.
"Like how much money is there? Are you going to pull money in from the Hampshire Next [donation] program? Could that money be used to help fund the teach-out [the final semester]? But mostly whether whether they they go back or not, I want to make sure that my kid has the experience, the fullness of the experience that was promised to him two years ago," Seibel said.
Hampshire College is expected to announce an update on its finances in the next few days.
