To: Dr. Javier A. Reyes
Chancellor University of Massachusetts Amherst
301 Whitmore Building
Amherst, MA
01003

To: Ms. Christine Wilda, Associate Chancellor for Compliance
341 Whitmore Administration Building
181 Presidents Dr.
Amherst, MA
01003

CC: Gov. Maura Healey; Sen. Joanne M. Comerford and Rep. David M. Rogers, co-chairs Joint Committee on Higher Education

Dear Dr. Reyes,

We the undersigned are Hampshire College alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, friends and supporters. Many of us are current and longtime residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as well as former students and employees at UMass Amherst. In 2019, The Daily Hampshire Gazette revealed closed discussions between the University of Massachusetts and Mim Nelson, then President of Hampshire, about UMass acquiring the college and under what conditions.* Now, with the Hampshire College campus up for sale, we are inquiring whether UMass has any plans to acquire the campus either in whole or any portion of it. Since UMass Amherst is a state university funded by taxpayers of the Commonwealth, we respectfully request that any plans that you are working on be made public and open to discussion. In addition, the following constitutes a request for public records pursuant to Massachusetts Public Records Law, M.G.L. Ch. 66: We request any and all records, correspondence, memoranda, notes, file notes, data, and any other documents in electronic and any other form that have been created, edited or modified from July 1, 2023 to date (hereafter “Documents”), including but not limited to the following:
 
1. Documents related or referring to a possible acquisition, sale or purchase of any real or other property, assets, or liabilities, or any other change in the present relationship or affiliation between Hampshire College and the University of Massachusetts (“Purchase of Assets”), including but not limited to communications regarding said Purchase of Assets between any or all members of the administrations (including but not limited to the President’s Office, The Chancellor’s Office and any other member of the administration or staff of the University of Massachusetts and/or Hampshire College) and the Boards of Trustees of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Hampshire College, and communications regarding said Purchase of Assets between any or all of the foregoing individuals and entities and members of the administrations and the Boards of Trustees of Amherst College, Smith College, Mt. Holyoke College, and Five Colleges, Incorporated.

2. Documents referring to Hampshire College President Jennifer Chrisler, Hampshire College Board of Trustees Chair Jose Fuentes, incoming Hampshire College Board of Trustees Chair and current Board member Elle Chan, and any other member of The Hampshire College Board of Trustees.
 
Given that Hampshire College has already announced the decision to sell the campus and close the College, this request is of the utmost time-sensitivity. We appreciate your prompt and urgent attention to this matter!

*Dusty Christensen, “Emails show UMass set ‘draconian’ conditions for Hampshire College merger.” Daily Hampshire Gazette, September 2, 2019. https://gazettenet.com/2019/09/02/new-documents-shed-further-light-on-umass-amherst-hampshire-college-partnership-discussions-28087521/

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