This is a letter in response to a March 25 Boston Globe article about the threat of Hampshire College closing.
I am a neighbor of Hampshire College and a retired educator, so I am particularly disturbed at the prospect it might close. It is an important educational model, especially among the more conservatively oriented, and heavily endowed, schools in the rest of the Five College Consortium. Why don’t they offer Hampshire a loan? That seems a no-brainer, if they are truly committed to different kinds of educational models.
I am interested, but uneasy, about ways Hampshire College might use its 800 acres. Recently the town of Amherst and Archipelago Investments proposed developing housing on a college lot adjacent to the campus. We hoped for affordable housing, but that didn’t seem to be a priority in the plan. The land involved sensitive wetlands, and it appeared Archipelago didn’t take this into serious account. Community pressure forced Archipelago to withdraw its offer. We were relieved but would like Hampshire College to be able to receive financial benefit from this piece of land and other parts of its 800 acres. Still, I hope it will be possible for the lovely farm environment of the campus to be continued. Members of the consortium step up. Shame on you! … and members of the community support ways Hampshire can use its land.
Kathy Gregg
Amherst