Higher education regulators are calling on Hampshire College to "show cause" and demonstrate why it shouldn't be "placed on probation" or have its accreditation withdrawn.
In a joint statement with college leadership, the New England Commission of Higher Education cited Hampshire’s struggles to boost enrollment last year, its "inability to refinance" $21 million in bond debt ahead of a September 2026 tender date and other factors.
"On March 5, 2026, the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) took action to require Hampshire College to show cause at the Commission’s June 2026 meeting why the institution should not be placed on probation or why its accreditation should not be withdrawn ... because it had reason to believe that Hampshire College may no longer meet its standard on Institutional Resources," the statement read.
NECHE officials added that Hampshire College is "still accredited and eligible for federal funding," but will need to show cause at the commission’s meeting in June.
As part of the joint statement, Hampshire College President Jennifer Chrisler says she looks forward to working with the commission and that the college has a history of working productively with its accreditors.
Hampshire College has spent the past few years trying to consolidate and boost enrollment after the pandemic. It reportedly failed to meet an enrollment goal last year, adding only about 170 students instead of 300.
As of fall 2025, 747 students were said to be enrolled, compared to roughly 1,400 a decade prior.
