COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho —
The fate of North Idaho College is in the hands of voters.
That’s what NIC Trustees Brad Corkill and Tarie Zimmerman said Thursday when they addressed the North Idaho Federated Republican Women at Seasons of Coeur d’Alene.
The trustees, who said they were not speaking on behalf of the board, shared the latest developments about NIC’s efforts to return to good standing with its accreditor and fielded questions about where the college stands today.
“It’s a critical moment,” Corkill said.
With three out of five trustee positions up for election Nov. 5 and two incumbent trustees choosing not to run for reelection, the races could shift the balance of power on the NIC board.
Since Fall 2022, trustees Greg McKenzie, Todd Banducci and Mike Waggoner have formed the majority bloc, and NIC landed in hot water with its accreditor.
For example, in December 2022, the board majority voted to place NIC President Nick Swayne on indefinite administrative leave for no disciplinary reason and give his replacement, Greg South, an 18-month contract worth more than Swayne’s.
The decision was one of several made by the board that caused the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities to place NIC on show cause status, the last step before loss of accreditation. The move also kicked off multiple lawsuits. Swayne was eventually returned to his position by court order.
“The reason we are on show cause is because of board governance and solely because of board governance,” Zimmerman said Thursday.
To read the full story, visit our news partner, the Coeur d'Alene Press.
