SCC president to lead NIC

The North Idaho College Board of Trustees announced today the selection of Joe Dunlap as the new president of NIC.

Dunlap is currently the president of Spokane Community College,  a position he has held since 2008.

Highlights of his leadership include Spokane Community College’s selection as the lead agency for 11 colleges throughout the state of Washington that were awarded a $20 million Department of Labor grant for aerospace education and training in October 2011.

Prior to serving for four years as president, Dunlap served as the vice president of instruction at both Spokane Community College from 2004 to 2008 and Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood, Wash., from 2002 to 2004.

Dunlap’s other educational experience includes four years as dean of science and industrial technology at Mt. Hood Community College in Oregon from 1998 to 2002 in addition to serving as founding director of the School of Aviation Sciences as well as professor of military science at Western Michigan University.

Dunlap holds a doctorate in education from Oregon State University’s Community College Leadership program as well as a master’s degree in business administration from City University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Whitworth University in Spokane.

“I truly appreciate the trustees’ confidence in selecting me as president of North Idaho College,” Dunlap said. “Though I will miss all the good people at SCC and Community Colleges of Spokane, I look forward to working with NIC’s faculty, staff and trustees to support the college’s already high level of instructional excellence while exploring ways to bring new, dynamic and responsive educational opportunities to North Idaho.”

In May of 2011, North Idaho College President Priscilla Bell announced her plans for retirement in June 2012, after five years in the position. Dunlap was one of five finalists selected by the 22-member search committee to come to campus for a series of open forums in April.

“The entire community and college engaged in an impressive procedure whereby everyone was able to contribute to our selection of a top-notch candidate,” said NIC Presidential Search Committee Co-Chair and NIC Trustee Ken Howard. “My sincerest gratitude is extended to the members of the search committee, the participants in the public forums and all those who submitted comments and suggestions through the presidential search process. All of those efforts assisted the trustees in selecting who we believe will be a great president for North Idaho College.

“We had an outstanding array of applicants many of whom had very impressive credentials. Our challenge in this search was to select the candidate who was going to be the best fit for our community and our college and we have accomplished that.”

The NIC Board of Trustees plans to officially approve Dunlap’s contract at an open meeting at noon Monday in the Edminster Student Union Building Lake Coeur d’Alene Room. Dunlap plans to begin in his new role at North Idaho College with the start of the 2012-2013 academic year July 1.