Hampshire College (MA) President Miriam E. Nelson announced that administrators were working to “find a long-term partner that can help us achieve a thriving and sustainable future for Hampshire. With the guidance and passion of Hampshire’s trustees we’ve begun a process to seek a strategic partnership to address the challenges we’ve faced as an under-endowed institution, really from our very first days. As we approach our 50th anniversary, and as Hampshire continues to have an impact on students and society, the trustees and I are absolutely determined to find the best way forward.”
 
Hampshire is part of a five-college consortium that was designed, in part, to limit its members’ operating costs which includes: Amherst College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.  The consortium allows students to take courses on any of the campuses, fosters joint academic programs, and offers transportation between the campuses.
 
Here is a round-up of news stories on the announcement:
 
Important Message from President Nelson
Hampshire.edu
 
Facing Financial Hardship, Hampshire College Looks to Merge
WGBH, Boston, MA
 
Hampshire College Puts Freshman Class in Doubt, Merger on the Table
The Boston Globe
 
Hampshire Struggles to Stay Afloat
Inside Higher Ed
 
In Massachusetts, the Market for Small, Liberal-Arts Colleges Is in Decline
The Chronicle of Higher Education
 
Hampshire College, Facing Financial Challenges, Weighs Whether to Enroll a New First-Year Class
The Washington Post
 
Hampshire College Concerns Spotlight Private College Challenges - Editorial
MassLive.com