Posted: Tuesday, Jul 03, 2007 - 01:58:55 pm PDT
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By DR. PRISCILLA BELL 

Dr. Priscilla Bell

HGF The impending establishment of a third comprehensive community college in Idaho, made possible by voter approval of a new property taxing district in Ada and Canyon Counties, will affect all of Idaho, not just southwestern Idaho.

This new College of Western Idaho will be Idaho’s first new community college since the College of Southern Idaho was established in the mid-1960s. (Note: NIC was established in 1933) A question frequently asked of me is: “Will this be a good thing or a bad thing?”

For Idaho itself, long term, CWI will be an extremely positive development. Community colleges educate students, be they in workforce training, in professional-technical education or in academic transfer programs. We do it well, we do it quickly and we do it at a relatively-low cost to students and taxpayers.

Educated students form a strong and diversified base of employees for existing and future businesses and industries. They use fewer social services and contribute positively to our communities … suffice to say, community colleges do good things. CWI will be great for Idaho. But how do we pay for it? Not a single North Idaho legislator I have met has said his or her plan is to divide current state general fund dollars now supporting North Idaho College and CSI three ways, instead of two. None want to damage the very institutions after which the new CWI will be patterned.

All realize CWI will require additional tax dollars. Certainly, that is easier said than done. Yet at the same time, now that Idaho’s most populated region has its own community college, it will give that large contingent of legislators from that region even more reason to want to support community colleges.

In other words, CWI should translate into broader support in the legislature for all three community colleges. More than two thirds of the voting public in Ada and Canyon Counties demonstrated their understanding of the importance of a community college, and they are the same people who elect legislators.

Being a newcomer to Idaho, I quickly realized how fiscally conservative this state is. If Idahoans are going to vote to tax themselves, they have to believe it is worthwhile, and that it will generate a good return on their investment. The resounding vote in May to create CWI was validation of the importance of higher education, and of the roll of community colleges specifically.

Expectations of CWI will be high, as they should be. As a lifelong believer in community colleges, I do not doubt for a second, it will deliver.

On a pragmatic, practical level, there will be an impact on North Idaho College. If as expected CWI grows rapidly and eclipses both NIC and CSI in enrollment, it could be troublesome. This is particularly true now that we receive state funding based on enrollment.

NIC must be focused, aggressive, and assure that our programs are relevant for today and for tomorrow. We must be willing to develop programs the region wants and needs, while retaining the quality of instruction that has made NIC great and that the region has come to expect. That is the most critical challenge ahead.

The base population of our area is growing, jobs are being created and we need to tap into those trends.

In the meantime, we welcome the College of Western Idaho into the family. May it grow and prosper, to the benefit of all.

Priscilla Bell is the interim President of North Idaho College. She can be reached by writing her at North Idaho College, 1000 W. Garden Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID. 83814.