Nearly 350 layoffs coming to 2 Massachusetts colleges that announced plans to close
Two Massachusetts colleges that recently announced plans to close this year will be laying off nearly 350 workers combined, according to state filings.
Anna Maria College in Paxton, which announced last week it will close after the spring semester, said layoffs will affect 150 workers. Hampshire College in Amherst is expecting 199 layoffs once it closes at the end of the Fall 2026 semester.
Hampshire College's website says employees began to find out last week about their job status.
"The staff and faculty reductions will happen in waves, with the majority of employees ending their employment on June 15," the college said. "Every employee will receive at least 60 days notice."
Anna Maria said some staff will be retained to help students "through degree completion." Layoffs there will take place between June 22 and June 30.
"We are working as quickly as possible to determine impacted roles and timelines, and will communicate directly with those affected as decisions are finalized," the school's website says.
Other schools are stepping up to take in students as transfers, but no similar partnerships have been established for staff members. The MassHire Department of Career Services will be helping laid-off faculty at both schools find new jobs.
An online petition supporting Hampshire College's staff is asking leaders at other colleges in western Massachusetts to take in staff members who lose their jobs.
"The situation is a crisis," the petition states. "Hampshire faculty and staff will lose their health insurance June 30th, cutting off their access to necessary medication and treatment. Some members of the community will face deportation; some will suffer housing insecurity."
