AMHERST, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - In April, Hampshire College in Amherst announced that it will be closing its doors at the end of the calendar year, however that may not be the case anymore.

Hampshire College President Jenn Chrisler released a statement over the weekend saying it may not be possible to fund a final planned fall semester.

The school has 28 rising Division 3 seniors, meaning students in their final year that focus on one larger project. The college had previously said that these students would be able to complete their degrees in the fall with what they called a “teach-out.”

“So there are two pathways, a finishing pathway for Div 3 students who are finishing their thesis project,” said student Joan Priester. “Besides that, they’re trying to set up a kind of a smooth plan for transfers.”

Chrisler said that as of now, the college does not have enough money to cover the teach-out and that “we are actively exploring options to secure the necessary financial resources in time for the teach-out, and we remain optimistic.”

Uncertainty for the fall mostly comes as the school tries to determine which assets to sell. They are required to pay back vendors they owe money to.

The gap between the expected cost of a semester and what the school expects to raise through enrollment and fundraising also plays a major role.

The stakes are high for the faculty, too. No fall semester would mean less time for faculty to find a new job. Nearly 200 of the 269 total employees are losing their jobs on June 15, but the rest, as of now, are slated to stay on until December.

Chrisler stressed that the school wanted to get these developments out as soon as possible and that they expect to have more information in the next few days.

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