HCC President George Timmons, Elms President Harry Dumay and STCC President John Cook sign an agreement to allow community college students to reside at Elms College.
Reminder Publishing photo by Tyler Garnet
CHICOPEE — On Oct. 8, Elms College entered into a new agreement with Springfield Technical Community College and Holyoke Community College that will allow students of those two community colleges to reside in residence halls at Elms.
The presidents of the three colleges, Harry E. Dumay of Elms, George Timmons of HCC and John B. Cook of STCC, ratified the Shared Student Agreement in an Oct. 8 signing ceremony in the Rotunda of Berchmans Hall on the Elms campus.
Elms has existing articulation agreements with HCC and STCC, under which students who satisfactorily complete an associate’s degree program at either community college are guaranteed admission into a bachelor’s program at Elms.
Timmons stated, “This partnership is going to work because it already has. For years, we have watched our students transfer to Elms and thrive. You walk with our students as they made their transitions to Elms so you know our students and you know who they are.”
This agreement, however, is the first time Elms has opened its residence halls to students enrolled in another school.
STCC and HCC are commuter colleges and do not provide on-campus housing. This agreement benefits STCC and HCC students who have housing needs. At the same time, it creates another pathway for students to consider completing a baccalaureate degree at Elms.
Dumay talked about the significance of the agreement and said, “Elms College, for nearly 100 years, has prided itself on promoting educational opportunities to those who would otherwise not have access, and being a collaborative partner with our neighboring colleges. This agreement accomplishes these goals and expands our strong partnerships with HCC and STCC.”
Timmons discussed the new agreement and how it can help benefit students looking to further their education at HCC.
“At Holyoke Community College, we are committed to helping students overcome barriers to success, such as housing insecurity,” Timmons said, “This agreement with Elms opens up more opportunities for HCC students to have stable and affordable housing while pursuing their education. We are delighted to have partners like Elms College who share a similar mission of providing access and creating opportunities for all students.”
Cook shared a similar outlook and said, “This collaboration with Elms College expands access to on-campus living and strengthens the sense of community for our students. It encourages full-time study and supports students wishing to accelerate their educational goals. This will be a rich and rewarding experience for our students who choose this option.”
HCC and STCC students, under the agreement, are allowed to live in Elms residence halls during the school year and will pay for room and board.
The room cost varies depending on whether students opt for a single or double room. They are required to sign up for a campus meal plan and pay for an annual campus parking permit if they intend to bring a car on campus.
Participating HCC and STCC students will be eligible to use the campus library and fitness center, participate in some student activities, have access to campus amenities and services, including laundry facilities, Wi-Fi, health services and public safety, at no additional cost.
They will receive an Elms College photo ID indicating they are participating as a community college student.
The agreement also mentions the possibility of developing other amenities, such as a shuttle service between Elms and HCC and STCC, as the need arises.
The students may live on campus during the academic year, but need to find other accommodations when Elms residence halls are closed, such as during the Thanksgiving, winter, and spring breaks, and over the summer months.
Accommodations will be based on availability as determined by Elms College.
The agreement is in place through June 30, 2026, but may be renewed each year if the three parties agree.
