Hampshire College will close after the fall semester, bringing an end to its 56-year operation after leaders said it no longer has sufficient resources to meet regulatory responsibilities and sustain full operations. The institution cited an accreditation-related requirement to demonstrate adequate resources, putting its status under threat if it did not meet the regional accreditor’s expectations. The closure comes amid persistent enrollment shortfalls and a heavy debt burden. Hampshire’s report to the community said it missed its fall enrollment projection for 2025 with only 168 freshmen enrolling versus a 300-student goal, and the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) indicated Hampshire needed to strengthen its financial and operational capacity. Financial deterioration accelerated during a years-long turnaround. Hampshire’s enrollment fell from 745 freshmen in 2019 to 472 in 2021, rebounded to 844 by fall 2024, but again declined in the next cycle. NECHE also cited issues including Hampshire’s failure to sell land to raise funds, challenges restructuring $21 million in debt, and reliance on endowment support; the endowment dropped from about $54 million in 2019 to about $24 million in fiscal year 2025. The decision underscores how accreditation oversight, debt service, and student recruiting setbacks are again converging to force closure decisions at small private colleges.