The Re-Unmaking of a College: The Politics & Economics of the SLAC Crisis
On April 14, 2026, Hampshire College’s board of trusteesvoted to close the college at the end of the fall 2026 semester. The announcement was not (or at least, should not have been) a surprise. In March 2026 its accreditor, the New England Commission of Higher Education,placed Hampshire on notice and warned it could withdraw accreditation over the college’s enrollment and finances. The Massachusetts Department of Higher Educationcould not confirm Hampshire held sufficient resources to operate th…