Accreditor Warns American International College Over Finances

The New England Commission of Higher Education has publicly flagged concerns about the finances of American International College in Springfield, saying it has reason to believe the school may fall short of its standard on institutional resources, the Boston Globe reported in its Oct. 13, 2026, higher education newsletter. The disclosure came in early October 2026.

The college has until January 2027 to make its case against being put on probation or having its accreditation pulled, according to the Globe.

The Globe had previously identified American International College among traditional private colleges in Massachusetts showing financial strain, citing the school's use of its unrestricted endowment to pay for operations and a multiyear slide in enrollment.

Nicolle Cestero, president of American International College, told the Globe she remains confident the institution will continue operating, and indicated she may explore switching to a different accreditor before the January deadline.

The newsletter also reported that five MIT faculty members published a satirical piece criticizing the installation of hundreds of Flock surveillance cameras on the Cambridge campus over the summer of 2026, arguing the spending clashes with budget cuts that have put more than 700 academic journal subscriptions at the MIT Libraries on the chopping block.

This story was first reported by The Boston Globe.