Hampshire College’s Board Chair Resigns, Citing ‘Vitriol’ and ‘Slanderous Attacks’

Hampshire College

The chair of Hampshire College’s Board of Trustees has resigned, the institution said on Monday. Gaye Hill, who had served as chair for six years, stepped down on Sunday and was replaced by Luis Hernandez, then vice chair, effective immediately.

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The Massachusetts college has been financially troubled for several years. Fall enrollment fell more than 15 percent from 2015 to 2018, leading to sharp losses for the institution. At the start of the year, Miriam E. Nelson, the president, announced that Hampshire was looking for a partner to help keep the college running. A month later, officials confirmed they would not enroll a full fall class in 2019.

Since then, college leaders’ decision making has drawn intense scrutiny. The resignation occurred weeks after a faculty vote, later invalidated, on a resolution expressing a lack of confidence in the decisions of the college’s president, the leaders of its Board of Trustees, and its chief financial officer.

Hill said in a written statement about her departure that despite wanting to “bring Hampshire through the worst financial crisis in its history,” the “vitriol, slanderous attacks, and the questioning of motives” leveled against her and her colleagues had motivated her to resign.

“I’ve become a lightning rod for criticism and felt it was time to step away,” she said.

Hernandez and the vice chair, Kim Saal, said in the statement about the resignation that the board was confident in a smooth transition and expressed support for Hill.

“We’ve worked alongside Gaye on the board for many years and have the highest regard for her leadership and wisdom,” said the statement. “She has been a steadfast advocate for this institution — for all members of our community — and a most generous benefactor.”

The college is still discussing potential partnerships with a number of institutions. Nelson, along with other board members, has said that uncertainty about leadership could be “very catastrophic” for the institution. Drastic changes in leadership could cause lenders to call in loans on the college’s nearly $27 million in debt.

“As we move into this next phase of our work to bring about a sustainable future for Hampshire, we’ll keep our focus, engage the working groups and the community at large, and continue to communicate with you about our progress,” Hernandez and Saal said on Monday.

Follow Zipporah Osei on Twitter at @zipporahosei, or email her at zipporah.osei@chronicle.com.