AMHERST — Hampshire College President Jennifer Chrisler’s address to students and faculty Tuesday, following the announcement that morning that the college would be closing at the end of 2026, was filled with emotion.
A recording of her 13-minute talk from inside the Robert Crown Center, recently posted to YouTube, shows Chrisler often talking through tears while speaking to those in attendance.
“Today, standing in front of all of you and acknowledging the board of trustees had decided we will teach out, and cease academic operations at the end of the academic year, is by far the hardest thing I have ever had to say as a leader,” Chrisler said.
Chrisler, who took over as permanent president last October, opened her remarks expressing love for the creativity, quirkiness, anger, passion and determination that those on campus bring to the world.
“It is the people that make this place, and I love these people,” Chrisler said.
She thanked them for fighting for the college’s independence after attempts to merge were put forward by a previous president, adding that they did so not because it was easy, but because it was worth it.
With those in attendance having varied reactions to the closure announcement, from those who fully expected it to those whose plans have been abruptly ruptured, Chrisler said she understands all of these emotions.
“Hampshire has lived at the edge of financial viability for almost all of our young life,” Chrisler said.
But its founding was predicated on the idea of how it would be possible to deliver an extraordinary liberal arts education without accumulation of massive wealth.
There was cheering for when she noted the $55 million raised in unrestricted support through a capital campaign and how the curriculum was reinvented, as well as the commitment to anti-racism and social justice work in the face of extreme pressure from outside, and accepting many students from New College of Florida when its curriculum was overhauled.
She also spoke to faculty and staff, and there was a sustained standing ovation when she expressed how much they had given Hampshire.
“What you have built in our classrooms and in your advising relationships in the daily life of this campus is real, is lasting and this financial decision can’t take that away from us,” Chrisler said.
Before Chrisler spoke, Jose Fuentes, the outgoing chairman of the college’s board of trustees, described the “heartbreaking” decision that was made.
“It is the best decision and the responsible decision to make,” Fuentes said, eliciting some boos and shouts of “responsible for who?”
He expressed gratitude for what the college did for him and thousands of others, coming to Guatemala as an international student.
Chrisler said Hampshire was organized around the premise for students to help create something remarkable for themselves and the community, not just at the college campus but over the course of their lives.
Finally, she concluded by saying she hoped that everyone could feel enormous pride and comfort in all that Hampshire has modeled.
“But I will not pretend that a world without Hampshire College is OK, because it is not,” Chrisler said.
