On January 15, 2019, president Miriam Nelson and the Board of Trustees announced that due to financial instability the college was planning to seek a strategic partner to ensure long term sustainability. In addition, the college was considering not accepting a new freshman class for Fall 2019 due to concerns with compliance and accreditation. Shortly thereafter, on February 1, 2019, the college announced that for the Fall 2019 semester it would only be admitting students who had already been offered early admission or who had previously deferred admission. Furthermore, early admission students were released from their pledge to attend Hampshire College. Some alumni protested this decision, as well as many students, who organized sit-ins in the Dean of Students office and the Office of the President, demanding more transparency from the administration and board of trustees and for student, staff, and faculty voices to be taken into account in decision-making processes. While the occupation in the Dean of Students office ended after a few weeks, the sit-in in the president's office lasted for 75 days, ending on April 22, 2019.