1982-83

This Timeline is based on a portion of Tim Shary's A History of Student Activities and Achievements at Hampshire College. Anything not otherwise cited comes from this source.


 * The Long Range Planning Committee issues its final report

1982
Sep 8 Students join in support of workers at an Amherst copy store called Gnomon, where employees have begun a strike for higher wages and better working conditions. [Apostrophe: September 23, 1982]

Sep 11 Up to 200 students show up for Hampshire's first "Dressed To Get Laid" party, organized and hosted by students Ken Wachs and Laurie McKenna in Prescott mod 77; plans are made for the next party, "Get Dressed For A Meaningful Relationship". [Apostrophe: October 7, 1982]

Oct 7 The Krukowski Report on admissions has been released and is met with controversy by students who feel that its recommendations, such as "avoid appearing as a counterculture institution," are counter to the idea of Hampshire. [Apostrophe: October 7, 1982]

Oct 7 A student job shortage has been detected as 30 of the college's 417 financial aid students are still without work; the Financial Aid office responds by indefinitely extending the priority period, in which jobs are only offered to finacial aid students. [Apostrophe: October 7, 1982]

Oct 18 26 Hampshire students join a group of over 200 protestors at Selective Service headquarters in Washington, D.C. to protest the increased mobilization of draft plans; 7 students are arrested for crossing police barricades. [Apostrophe: November 4, 1982]

Oct 21 The Long Range Planning Committee has released its report on weaknesses and strengths in the college and its mission; the committee worked for two years on the report after they were formed following the Ten-Year Review. [Apostrophe: October 21, 1982]

Nov 4 The Hampshire Nightline, a drop-in center and hotline for students feeling isolated and depressed, is operating out of the Prescott house office on weekend nights; founders include Jane Lerner, Randy Curtis, Pat Mistark, and Oare Dozier. [Apostrophe: November 4, 1982]

Dec 1 Division II students Roger Gilbertson and Dean Ritz begin to sell their 1983 Hampshire College Calendar in the bookstore, with photos of students and staff taken by student Becky Dimling, and featuring obscure dates including Mac Davis's birthday. [Apostrophe: November 18, 1982]

Dec 9 After a three-month strike in which many Hampshire students joined, the owners of the Gnomon copy center in Amherst have agreed to several of the protesting employees' demands. [Apostrophe: December 9, 1982]

1983
Feb 17 Treasurer of the College Allen Torrey and President Adele Simmons write a motion to the Board of Trustees calling for the college's reinvestment in South African companies whose sole purpose for being inSouth Africa is news-gathering or transportation. [Apostrophe: February 24, 1983]

Mar 3 Robert L. Manning has been sentenced to over 80 years in prison by Hampshire County Superior Court for the kidnapping, rape, and beating of a Hampshire student the previous April, and other crimes. [Apostrophe: March 3, 1983]

Mar 11 Despite a planned march by dozens of students to their meeting, the Trustees' Finance Committee votes against divestment from companies involved in nuclear arms development; John Watts, chair, states that the committee does not discuss its opinions. [Apostrophe: March 17, 1983]

Mar 17 Students Imani Benhassen and Greg Anderson have formed the Pan African News and Information Service, a national group providing reports and news to and from national news services throughout Africa and the rest of the world. [Apostrophe: March 17, 1983]

Mar 28 Hampshire post office employee Allan Tardy is arrested for stealing mail from students over the past year; after a number of students filed complaints, an investigation led to the discovery of marked mail money and undelivered mail in Tardy's possession. [Apostrophe: April 14, 1983]

Apr 4 Community Day is held, featuring outdoors trips, games, and workshops for students and staff; that afternoon an all-community meeting is held at which demands include better communication from the administration and more input in decision-making. [Community Council Misc.: 84S-Z42 to Z45]

Apr 8 The scheduled college Town Meeting on April 12 is cancelled by its steering committee due to, among other things, threats by certain students to disrupt it, and a lack of administrative support. [Apostrophe: April 14, 1983]

May 9 An all-community meeting is finally held after months of planning; the agenda includes items on housing, women's center and counselor advocates, the academic program, governance, and two motions by students to effectively impeach President Adele Simmons. [Community Council Misc.: 83S-ZO8 to ZIO]

May 16 The second all-community meeting in a week takes up votes on issues discussed at the previous meeting; among the approved motions are changes in the heterosexist off- campus housing policy and the power of the community to impeach Trustees. [Community Council Misc.: 83F-ZO7 to Z19]

May 20 Two of the more unusual Hampshire degrees, one in stand-up comedy and the other in freesyle frisbee entertainment and education, are awarded to Kevin Brown and John Dwork, respectively. [Apostrophe: April 14, 1983)