AIC Announces ‘Pathway to Progress’ to Chart College’s Future

SPRINGFIELD — On Nov. 13, American International College (AIC) announced an expansive organizational business plan that will guide the college over the next several years. Dubbed “Pathway to Progress,” the comprehensive document presents a wide array of changes to the college’s operational model, including revising the academic portfolio, expanding degree options, launching new enrollment strategies, and streamlining athletic programming.

Developed in alignment with the college’s 2022-27 strategic plan by members of senior leadership in tandem with a nationally recognized educational consulting partner, the plan includes the following initiatives:

• To support the ongoing growth of AIC’s academic portfolio, the college will expand faculty options by introducing multi-year contracts, including a new professor of Practice role, alongside the existing tenure-track pathway and adjunct/part-time faculty roles.

• Most full-time faculty will shift to a 5/5 teaching load to better meet academic demands, with course registration moving to the staff advisors.

• AIC will continue the expansion of its degree offerings, with a multi-year plan to continue launching new programs based on industry demand and market research. With this transition, some undergraduate and graduate programs will be discontinued. Faculty positions will not be affected. Following the previously announced launch of seven new online degree completion programs, the college plans to expand the number of program offerings beginning in the fall of 2025.

• To meet growing industry demand, AIC will begin offering three-year, 120-credit bachelor’s degree options for a variety of undergraduate programs to provide time and financial savings to students.

• Beginning in 2025, AIC will launch a comprehensive re-enrollment campaign to engage and recruit former students to return to AIC and complete their degrees.

• Following the close of the 2024-25 season, the men’s ice hockey program will return to NCAA Division II competition from Division I, positioning it alongside the majority of AIC’s varsity programs. This transition will provide a more equitable distribution of resources among all athletic programs and will allow ice hockey’s legacy to continue within the AIC Athletics portfolio. All scholarships for affected athletes will be honored following this transition.

• Effective May 2025, the college will discontinue its women’s tennis and wrestling programs to better meet industry demand and provide additional resources to its other varsity sports. All scholarships for affected athletes will be honored following this transition.

“In an era of unprecedented disruption across the higher-education industry, it is more important than ever that we do all we can to ensure AIC can adapt and evolve to best serve our students — those we serve today, and in the future,” interim President Nicolle Cestero said. “Through this ‘Pathway to Progress,’ we have developed a data-driven roadmap that will only strengthen this institution that has existed for more than 130 years.”

American International College developed the plan in response to a continuingly shifting higher-education landscape. Disruptions caused by the launch of the new federal financial-aid model, continuous changes in demographics across the Northeast, and the nationwide conversation around the value of a college degree have made it essential for colleges and universities to take a progressive approach in how they deliver for their students.