Hampshire College’s demise is yet another blow to creative, outside-the-box options in higher education

Hampshire College’s student-driven, unorthodox approach to education has roots in the early 1900s and a belief that students should be active, engaged learners.

By: Austin Sarat, Amherst College, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: April 17, 2026

Words: 1,301

Last Updated: 3 months, 1 week ago

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By Austin Sarat, Amherst College

Hampshire College, a private college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, announced on April 14, 2026, that it was joining the list of small, experimental liberal arts colleges that have closed their doors over the past few years.

Hampshire will cease operations in December 2026 because of “declining enrollment, the weight of long-standing debt, and stalled progress on land development,” Hampshire board chair Jose Fuentes said in a …

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