Hampshire College came close to closing a few years ago, so this looks like opportunism. Of course, Hampshire would love to get a new batch of tuition paying students.
The College Fix reports:
‘Progressive’ college offers easy transfers to students at Florida college now run by conservativesAn elite Massachusetts liberal arts college has announced that it will offer an easy transfer process to New College of Florida students, who it claims suffer “ideological limits” under Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ reforms.Hampshire College — which made national headlines in 2016 when it took down the American flag to focus on addressing racism and transphobia — will “offer admission to all New College of Florida students in good standing and match their current cost of tuition,” it reported in a news release Thursday.Tuition at Hampshire for 2023-24 is $54,892 a year, according to its website.“This opportunity is in response to the continuing attacks on New College of Florida intended to limit intellectual exploration, turn back progress toward inclusion, and curtail open discussion of race, injustice, and histories of oppression,” the college wrote.“Who is Hampshire College?” New College of Florida’s Interim President Richard Corcoran asked in response to an email from The College Fix. “I am disappointed by their attempt to get free publicity and insert themselves into a narrative of progress and success in liberal arts education here in Florida.”Hampshire made its decision after “consulting with the student organizers rallying to preserve New College’s distinctive approach to undergraduate education,” its news release stated. “Hampshire College is proud to stand with students who crave a progressive education.”These student organizers are affiliated with the advocacy group Save New College, which identifies itself as a “coalition to defend New College and educational freedom from a hostile political takeover,” according to its website.Hampshire College accused New College’s recently appointed trustees of “impos[ing] a narrowly politicized curriculum” that “broke promises made to its current students to support a self-directed, rigorous education grounded in a commitment to free inquiry,” according to the news release.
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