Language & Culture Commons to close Aug. 15, 2026
Dear members of the Mount Holyoke community,
Over the past several days, information about the future of the Language & Culture Commons (LCC) was shared before the College could communicate directly with the broader community. We regret that many learned about this decision without important context. Our intention was to first notify the staff and student employees most directly affected. We also recognize that the College’s budget timeline does not always align with the academic calendar. As a result, some decisions are communicated during the summer, when many members of our community are away and opportunities for conversation are more limited.
Last week, President Holley shared information with faculty and staff about the College’s FY27 budget and actions we must take as a community to strengthen our long-term financial sustainability. Like many colleges and universities, Mount Holyoke is experiencing rising costs for healthcare, utilities and other operating expenses. While the College remains financially strong, we currently have a structural budget gap that requires each division of the College to identify ways to reduce expenses so we can address these pressures now while continuing to invest in our future and core academic mission.
As part of Library, Information, and Technology Services’ (LITS’) FY27 budget reductions, the College has made the difficult decision to close the LCC, effective August 15, 2026. The closure of the LCC is one of multiple changes taking place across the College as divisions align expense reductions with the FY27 budget.
Two questions have arisen in response to the closure: What will happen to current LCC student employees? And what does the LCC’s closure mean for the College’s language departments?
Current LCC student employees will not lose campus jobs. They will be placed in LITS positions when they return in the fall and received email notification of this on Thursday, July 2. Student tutors, who are employed by the language departments rather than the LCC, will continue to support students.
The College supports language learning through our language departments as part of our commitment to a global liberal arts education. Our language departments are not endangered. As students’ needs and the ways they access resources have evolved, many functions of the LCC have expanded beyond a single physical location. Therefore, although the LCC will close, the underlying resources and supports will remain in place. Language departments will continue to advise students and support study abroad opportunities. Language-learning software and digital resources will remain available. LITS will continue to provide access to the LCC’s physical collections through Williston Library, and UMass Amherst’s Global Languages program will continue to be available to Mount Holyoke students.
We recognize that this decision affects people and a program that have contributed meaningfully to the Mount Holyoke experience. We are deeply grateful to Jean Janecki and the staff of the Language & Culture Commons for the passion and expertise they have brought to their work. Their contributions have had a lasting impact on our community.
Thoughtful engagement is a hallmark of the Mount Holyoke community, and decisions like this naturally prompt questions and concerns. We appreciate everyone who has taken the time to share their perspectives as the College continues its FY27 budget planning.
Sincerely,
Lisa Sullivan
Provost and Dean of Faculty