A town official in Amherst, Massachusetts, says proposed state education regulations contain a glaring oversight.
Under the regulations, the state would monitor the financial health of private colleges.
Those that are found to be shaky would have to develop contingency plans. They'd be ready to notify students, faculty, and staff in case they have to close.
But Paul Bockelman, town manager of Amherst, said host communities need to brought in early as well.
"In Amherst, we have two colleges and a university," he said. "They are three of the largest property owners. They are the three largest employers. So any major change in any of those institutions has an impact on the community."
One of the three institutions in town is Hampshire College, which has been struggling financially.
Bockelman said it owns 600 acres in Amherst, and he's asking that communities be given the right of first refusal before a college sells property.
