Our Demands

Summary

We write this as students who are passionate and concerned about the future of Hampshire College and the important ideals it represents. Hampshire College is a ground-breaking institution that provides an important alternative to traditional higher education. We believe it is critical for Hampshire College, along with its founding ideals, to survive this current crisis intact. Towards that end, we are asking the College and its leadership team to specifically focus on transparency, Hampshire Shared Governance, and overall equity. Within this document, we have detailed our core principles that must be addressed before we are willing to end our sit-ins at The Dean of Students Office and the Cole Science Center.

Note: This document has been authored by a committee of students representing the Hamp Rise Up movement. Its contents have been voted on by a super majority of students attending three separate meetings opened to the entire student body. Hamp Rise Up does not intend to singularly reflect the opinions of the entire student body.

A. Transparency

1. We request complete transparency. Information must be disseminated via multiple accessible mediums, regarding decisions that have been made to date as well as the ongoing deliberations and decision-making processes of executive leadership. We request that, going forward, information be shared as soon as accessible to the executive leadership to provide enough time for the community to weigh in. The information we are requesting includes all factors relevant to the decisions as well as timelines and milestones.
2. We need to be provided with full explanations as to why any information is being kept from the Hampshire community as a result of existing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). In addition, we expect the list of different governing bodies, committees, and groups in which members signed NDAs. We stand with the American Association for University Professors Hampshire Chapter (AAUP) and agree that NDAs do not belong in an educational environment.
3. To the extent certain individuals are unable to share their candid views as a result of NDAs, we ask that such individuals be given the opportunity to terminate their NDAs and remain as a full member of any governing body, committee, or group.

B. Hampshire Shared Governance

1. We would like the remaining two positions on the Board of Trustees be filled, no later than March 1, with student trustees elected by their peers so that they have the ability to participate in ongoing deliberations.
2. We, as students, request a direct role in all future decision-making processes that concern the College and its larger community. In order to facilitate that, we expect representative committees to be formed and charged with the task to advise and have voting power in these processes.
3. The current version of the Hampshire College Constitution was last revised and adopted on February 27, 1998. We believe that the Hampshire Constitution should be revised with direct input from the broader community and ultimately approved by staff, faculty, and students.
   1. We request a comprehensive evaluation by the community on the current governing bodies of Hampshire College, their stated roles, and whether they act as a form of adequate representation of students, staff, and faculty.
   2. We request a comprehensive evaluation of the power that the Board of Trustees has in relationship to the power of the other Hampshire constituencies.
4. We understand that changes are to be expected as we accept a strategic long term partner. However, we strongly feel that any partner we are thinking of should understand and agree that any additional revisions of our Hampshire Constitution must be accepted by our staff, faculty, and students to ensure the preservation of the core of Hampshire’s educational model. The terms must be agreed to by the community.

C. Overall Equity

1. We request affirmative acknowledgment that anyone participating in the sit-ins and related activities will be protected from loss of employment, conduct hearings, or any other penalties. All members of the community have the right to assemble, to protest, and to freely express their beliefs.
2. We demand that affinity services and spaces, like the Cultural Center and the James Baldwin Scholars program, must survive under any strategic partnership. Moreover, these spaces and services ought to operate under the direction of the students they serve. We want confirmation that the executive leadership shares this view and will maintain these services and spaces.
3. We demand assurances that all staff critical for: (i) the support of disabled and/or neurodivergent students, (ii) and the support for Students of Underrepresented Races, Cultures, and Ethnicities (SOURCE), and (iii) First Generation students, should not be laid off and any positions still open should be filled as quickly as possible.
4. The work accomplished by affinity groups (such as divestments achieved by the Decolonize Media Collective) should not be forgotten or overridden by any potential partnership.
5. We stand in solidarity with faculty, staff, alumni, and all college employees. We demand that their demands be met in full once presented.

We request a town hall meeting be scheduled to discuss these issues on Monday, February 11, or before. We ask that this meeting not conflict with any Hampshire College class-times, that it be live-streamed, and that it be recorded for later viewing. This meeting should be facilitated by students and open to all members of the community and be located in an accessible space that can comfortably accommodate all who wish to attend. We also request the attendance and participation of: President Miriam Nelson, Chief Financial Officer Mary McEneany, Chair of the Board Gaye Hill, and Vice-Chair Kim Saal.