History of Hampshire College in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: April 14, 2026

Hampshire College, located in Amherst, Massachusetts, is a private liberal arts college founded in 1970 as an experimental alternative to traditional education. It is a member of the Five College Consortium, along with Amherst, Smith, Mount Holyoke, and UMass Amherst. The campus is home to the National Yiddish Book Center and the Eric Carle Museum. It also hosts the Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics program. It's known for its innovative approach to learning and close ties to other institutions in the Pioneer Valley.

May 1977: Hampshire College divests from apartheid South Africa

In May 1977, Hampshire was the first college in the nation to divest from apartheid South Africa. The college removed $39,000 in stocks in four companies.

December 14, 2002: Al Gore plays a Hampshire College professor on SNL

On December 14, 2002, in an SNL episode, host Al Gore plays Dr. Ralph Wormly Curtis, a professor at Hampshire College. The same sketch implies that the band Phish attends Hampshire as well, though in reality all four members attended the University of Vermont.

May 3, 2004: Re-Rad student group demonstration

On May 3, 2004, the Re-Radicalization of Hampshire College (Re-Rad) group staged a demonstration that packed the hall outside the President's office during an administrative meeting. The student group was critiquing what they saw as a betrayal of Hampshire's founding ideas.

2014: New Concentration in Psychoanalytic Studies

In 2014, Hampshire College announced the formation of a new concentration in Psychoanalytic Studies.

2014: Hampshire College stops accepting SAT and ACT scores

In 2014, Hampshire College stopped accepting SAT and ACT scores from applicants to eliminate income and ethnicity biases in standardized testing and focus assessment on data better correlated with college success.

November 9, 2016: Hampshire students lower the American flag to half-staff

On November 9, 2016, following the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States, Hampshire students lowered the American flag at the center of campus to half-staff as "a protest against acts of hate and harassment."

April 26, 2017: Opening of the R.W. Kern Center

On April 26, 2017, the R.W. Kern Center opened. It is the 17th Living Building in the world certified under the Living Building Challenge. The building operates net-zero energy, water, and waste and is powered by solar panels. It also harvests rainwater, manages its wastewater on site, and contains composting toilets.

June 2017: Partial solar array powering the college

Since June 2017, part of the solar array has been powering Hampshire College. The solar panels cover 19 acres consisting of 15,000 panels which will eventually produce 4.7 megawatts of power.

November 2017: Final witness test of solar panel array conducted

In November 2017, Hampshire College conducted the final witness test of its solar panel array. The solar panel array is part of the college's main goal to be climate-neutral by 2020.

2017: Hampshire College pledges to support climate action

In 2017, Hampshire College pledged to continue to support climate action and reduce carbon emissions in accordance with the Paris Climate Agreement. The college signed the We Are Still In campaign along with 2,600 total signers.

March 9, 2023: Hampshire College extended an invitation of admission to New College of Florida students.

On March 9, 2023, Hampshire College extended an invitation of admission, matching their current tuition cost, to the students of New College of Florida as a response to the attacks on intellectual exploration.

March 2023: Fundraising campaign reached nearly $40 million

In March 2023, Hampshire College's fundraising campaign, "Change in the Making: A Campaign for Hampshire" had raised nearly $40 million towards its goal of $60 million by 2024.

2023: Hampshire College Achieves Carbon Neutrality

In February of 2023, Hampshire College announced that it had achieved its 2022 goal of carbon neutrality for all campus emissions, including electricity and natural gas heating.

March 5, 2026: Hampshire College at risk of losing accreditation

On March 5, 2026, the New England Commission of Higher Education reviewed Hampshire College and stated that the college is at risk of losing its accreditation due to concerns about its enrollment growth and financial challenges. The college will need to make their case to the commission at a meeting to be held in June.