COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — When Rick MacLennan walked out of his office on his last day as president of North Idaho College on Thursday, a waiting crowd of about 100 let him know they wished he could stay as reported by our news partner, the Coeur d'Alene Press.
They cheered.
They applauded.
They whooped and hollered.
They held signs that read “We made a great team,” “Adventure awaits” and “You’re awesome.”
When they finally quieted on a cool evening, a visibly touched MacLennan took a few steps in front of the Sherman Building, held up his phone to record those around him, and paused as he struggled to get the words out.
Then he smiled and said, “Obviously you have too much time on your hands.”
They cheered some more.
“This is pretty cool,” he said.
Among them was Evie Scrabeck, NIC custodian. She said MacLennan did a good job in his five years as president.
“Who else comes up and hugs strangers and backs the students?” she said. “He comes to every function that we have, even if we have a small function, he’s there."
Scrabeck said MacLennan did his job “100%” and she was sorry to see him go.
“I think the whole campus is,” she said.
NIC trustees voted 3-2 Wednesday to terminate MacLennan’s contract by the end of Thursday.
He declined to comment on the board’s actions, but said he appreciated the farewell he received from staff, students and friends.
“I don’t really even have the words for it,” he said. “I’m overwhelmed. I think it says a lot about this college and what a community it is. Everybody cares about everybody and what we do, they care about each other and I guess they care about me."
MacLennan walked around shaking hands, hugging and talking with the men and women who rallied to his side.
“I wish you all well, I really do,” he said. “I’m sorry it came to this. You’re a great group of people.”
“You’ve got each others’ backs. You’re going to be just fine,” he added.
One woman, Kim, who declined to give her last name, held a sign that read, “When they went low, you went high.”
“I feel that he was fired unjustly,” she said. “He's been transparent, fair, honest. He led with integrity. You couldn’t ask for more.”
Al Clayton, another NIC custodian, shook MacLennan’s hand and wished him well.
“I think he got a raw deal. It was politics, pretty much,” he said.
Andy Finney, who does video work on campus, held a sign that read, “O Captain! My Captain!”
He said he worked with several presidents in his 25 years there and said MacLennan was “probably one of the best we've had. And just the way that this all came about is going to be talked about for a long time. I don't agree with the way it came in.”
Erin Davis, NIC English professor, gave MacLennan a hug. She said he excelled at fostering the talents of those around him and letting them do their best work.
“I wanted to show support for a president who has done an excellent job for this college and who has just devoted himself to the success of students and supported faculty and staff all the way,” she said.
Blythe Buchan, NIC associate professor of nursing, said MacLennan supported the importance of science.
She said he fought the good fight when others would have walked away.
“He was always super supportive of nursing and health professions,” Buchan said.
MacLennan said he was going to be around.
“So if I can help you with anything, I hope you’ll let me know,” he said, then adding with a laugh, “I may be asking you for help.”
The Coeur d'Alene Press is a KREM 2 news partner. For more from our news partner, click here.
