COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — The crowd at a North Idaho College (NIC) Board of Trustees meeting became heated Wednesday as the college faces a lawsuit from its president and the possibility of losing its accreditation.
Students and community members rallied before the meeting began, upset about the current drama at NIC and asking for the reinstatement of the college's president Nick Swayne.
"Now the Board of Trustees is trying to find an interim president, but we're not looking for that,” said student Damian Maxwell. “We have the person we want. His name is President Nick Swayne and we want him back. "
Swayne is suing the school after the trustees placed him on administrative leave.
Court records show he was put on leave while the board looks into a change in his contract.
The suit argues the board did not have the power to place him on leave.
Swayne is also asking to be reinstated immediately.
In the meantime, the lawsuit isn't the only issue NIC faces. The college's accreditation is also a question mark.
Our news partners at the Coeur d’Alene Press reported if that happens, students will not be eligible for federal financial aid and won't be able to transfer credits.
That uncertainty is leaving students and others nervous about the future.
The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is still reviewing NIC’s accreditation after several warnings due to dysfunction on the Board of Trustees.
They sent NIC a letter this weekend warning of recent actions of the board that still don't align with the eligibility requirements and standards for accreditation. The board now has until Jan. 4 to respond with an explanation for how it's not out of compliance.
The Idaho State Board of Education President Kurt Liebich shared a statement about the recent developments at NIC:
“North Idaho College is a really important part of Idaho’s higher education system. The fact that there are concerns about accreditation that have been expressed by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (the accrediting agency) is a very high concern to the State Board of Education.
“The reality of it is though, this Board has limited ability to do anything about it other than encourage the Board of North Idaho College to do everything they can to preserve their accreditation status.
“We are not the governing body for the community colleges. Each of our community colleges have a locally elected governing board and it’s that governing board’s responsibility to govern that institution in alignment with the requirements that are established by the accrediting agency. I think that is the right way to do it, we are a local control state. Our community colleges have local taxing districts that are supported by local patrons, and I think it is appropriate that those patrons elect local boards to govern those institutions.
“While we (members of the State Board) are keeping a close eye on that situation, all we can do is encourage the trustees at North Idaho College to do everything in their power to preserve accreditation.”
Liebich also shared a second statement aimed toward students and staff at NIC:
“Despite what happens at North Idaho College in the boardroom, the real work happens in the classroom between dedicated faculty and students and the work has been going on without interruption throughout all of this and continues to go on. It speaks to the professionalism, the care, and the dedication that our faculty have for our students.
“For students, regardless of what happens through this process, the credits you’ve earned, whether you are alumni or you just finished your exams for the last semester, those credits are good, and they will be recognized throughout the State of Idaho.
“I’m hopeful, given the letter that the Northwest Commission wrote to the NIC Board, that the Board will do whatever it can to address the concerns that are out there and that’s where I hope we end up. But in a worst-case scenario, and North Idaho College does lose its accreditation, what I will commit to you is that this State Board is going to stand behind our students and we will do whatever we can to ensure that there are off-ramps to other higher education institutions and that students have a seamless path forward to achieve whatever dreams they have.
“I just want you to know that we appreciate all that you are doing and that we have your back.”
On Wednesday, by a vote of 3-2, trustees approved an employment contract for Greg South to serve as the college’s acting president while Nick Swayne remains on administrative leave, as reported by our news partners, the Coeur d'Alene Press.
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