On Wednesday, September 18th, students, faculty, and staff were invited to a campus-wide town hall event in the Griswold Theater. AIC community members were encouraged to attend to hear from leadership about the state of the college, the future of the school, and to ask questions about recent happenings at AIC.

The town hall was hosted by Interim President Nicolle Cestero along with Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Michael Dodge and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Richard Greco. Greco shared that “The best part [of the town hall] was trying to get everyone on the same page and having those values articulated for everyone to hear.”

Interim President Cestero welcomed those in attendance and gave an overview of the information and what would be discussed. Most notably, she mentioned that the September town hall will be followed by a more thorough town hall in November where they hope to have more financial information as well as answers to the community’s questions. 

Goals for the Academic Year 

Cestero introduced the goals for the 2024-2025 academic year. Leadership is working with Huron, a consulting organization, to create a roadmap for the next three years. AIC Pathway to Progress will reevaluate the financial and institutional processes here at AIC. They are still working on this project and plan to share more at the November town hall. 

The 2024-2025 academic year will also see the launch of a degree completion program. For the summer and fall there will be a Doctor of Education Degree program with three tracks; additionally, there are new programs in Nutrition, Criminal Justice (Degree Completion), and Lab Science. The spring will also see new programs where students can complete their degree in Cybersecurity, Educational Studies, Management, Marketing, Psychology, and Public Health. 

This year’s goals also include improving the student athlete experience and competitiveness, developing a plan for increasing philanthropic support, and increasing engagement across campus. 

The town hall focused on updating students, faculty, and staff. A main focus of the meeting aimed to defined and explain the school’s core values: Access, Opportunity, Diversity, Belonging, and Community. All of these values tie into each other and Cestero hopes “AIC can be your home away from home.” All of these values should be practiced internally and externally. Interim President Cestero spoke on what these values mean to her. “Access, to me, is removing barriers so everyone can access a degree from AIC,” Cestero said. 

Academic Affairs and Student Life Updates

AIC is proud to announce its updated accreditations. The School of Education has been accredited by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The entire School of Education here at AIC worked hard to be in good standing and to get a positive review.

In November, there should be updates on how the evaluation from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) went. The administration is anticipating a positive review. By the end of the semester, the school will also receive an outcome from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). AIC has also been recognized as a Veteran Friendly institution. 

The school has adjusted some of its structures to run more smoothly. The faculty adopted an assembly governance model, which allows the faculty to be more democratic. The new governance structure includes three dedicated positions for adjunct representatives. APEX has redesigned its curriculum to help students be successful. The Lissa Building has been updated to be a temporary home for the nursing students. They now have state-of-the-art simulation and skill labs. AIC also earned a $500,000 grant to update the Old Science Building with world-class labs and facilities.

Students and staff alike have been patiently waiting for an update on Courniotes Hall since a lightning strike damaged the building last year. The town hall provided photos that showed the updates the building has coming. Courniotes will be back and better than ever. The November town hall will provide more information.

Advisor Kevin Giraldo Lopez shared that his main takeaway was that “there are lots of changes to come; today is just preparing for those changes so we can better prepare for those services.”

Enrollment 

AIC did not hit the goal for enrollment for both graduate and undergraduate students. They do not yet know the financial impact this will have on the school, more information will be shared in the November town hall.

Q&A

Many decisions, updates, and questions are still up in the air. The answer we have for now: more information will be given at the November town hall. Staff spoke passionately about their desire to do better for their students. 

• Professor Frank Borelli shared updates for the Arts Media and Design department which has updated rooms, a new podcast studio, and a new collaboration lab. 
• Regarding athletic trainers only being there till 1 p.m.. They are still recruiting more athletic trainers. All coaches should receive a schedule for times when students can be seen by a trainer. Between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m., they are open for treatment and evaluations. 
• Regarding the search for a new President, the Board of Trustees decided, based on the low enrollment numbers, they would wait to see how finances would be impacted before starting their search. 
• Regarding improving Access and Opportunity. Advisors are finding that many students are struggling to afford and to access online books, physical books, and supplies. It was recommended that professors accommodate their students’ limitations and try non-traditional methods such as borrowing books, using free online resources, and working with the library. 

Student Body President Swastik Chuke expressed what he would like to see at the November town hall. “I want to know by doing these budget cuts how much is being saved and what’s being put towards Courniotes and the new science building. By cutting budgets from other facilities were we able to improve any other programs?”

The AIC community will have to attend the November town hall to learn more about updates, finances, and academics. After many passionate, heartfelt KUDOs were shared, people dispersed and many stayed behind to speak with their peers on the information given. 

Advisor Kevin Giraldo Lopez shared his expectations for the November town hall, saying, “I would like to see more of a layout about the changes and recommendations of what the Board of Trustees is going to be approving. I’m excited to see more detailed changes and how they are going to make them.”