NIC president to retire in June

COEUR d'ALENE — Joe Dunlap is on the road to retirement after leading North Idaho College as president for four years.

What drove him there was his growing family.

"We now have five grandchildren, all at young ages who weren’t even born when I started in this position," Dunlap said. "I want to spend time with them, be there for the important moments, for them and our own children."

Dunlap, who will continue to work at NIC through June 30 as its ninth president, said he'll miss the college.

"I love community colleges and in particular NIC," he said. "It’s been a fantastic experience. But it’s time. The college will continue to be a positive beacon for the community and place of opportunity for its students, staff and faculty."

Dunlap, 65, said his decision to retire was solely for family reasons and life dynamics.

"I never knew any of my grandfathers and I know I missed out on something special, important and wonderful, as I think they did as well, and I am not willing to let that opportunity pass with my grandchildren," Dunlap wrote in a letter to faculty and staff. "After working full time for the past 45 years, it's time for me to focus on those little ones and figure out how I can positively impact their lives, and they mine."

Dunlap said he has lived throughout the world and worked in a variety of jobs, but nothing compares to his experience at NIC.

Dunlap has served as NIC's president since July 1, 2012, after replacing Priscilla Bell. He was previously president of Spokane Community College for four years.

"Joe has led this institution into a period of robust campus strategic change and positioning," said Ken Howard, NIC board chairman. "At a time when colleges through the region and country are in a survival mindset, Joe has led an aggressive vision to move NIC into a position that will serve our students and community for decades to come."

Dunlap has overseen the establishment of 17 new technical education programs.

Three building projects are underway, including a 110,000-square-foot Career and Technical Education (CTE) facility in Rathdrum that will open in August. Construction on a student Wellness and Recreation Center on the Coeur d'Alene campus is set to begin early next summer with completion projected for fall 2017. The center's construction and operation will be funded through student and user fees.

The third building is a collaborative facility to be utilized by NIC, Lewis-Clark State College and the University of Idaho, featuring consolidated student services as well as classrooms and office space. Construction will be in 2017 with occupancy set for 2018.

Along with those expansions have come challenges during Dunlap's leadership, including an enrollment decline of 30 percent over four years. To battle that trend, Dunlap supported new outreach programs, including one for veterans and one in which faculty and staff mentor students all semester.

Despite a time of decreasing enrollment, Dunlap is leaving the college in a good financial position, said Christie Wood, board member.

"We're in a healthy place, have a balanced budget and have money in the capital improvement fund," she said.

Wood said Dunlap has struck a difficult but key balance between helping start technical programs, but not abandoning the traditional academic programs.

"Joe was put in the position of herding cats with all the various interests by board members, community members, faculty and students," she said. "People have had to make concessions, but Joe was the right person to put that vision together."

There has also been controversy along the way, including the decision in 2013 to have all sports except wrestling part ways with the National Junior College Athletics Association and join the Northwest Athletics Association of Community Colleges to cut costs.

Dunlap at the time recommended the conference change as the best way the college could address a pending budget shortfall.

Wood opposed the change.

"But, when the board makes a decision, I get behind it and move on," she said. "I believed that the athletes would not have the same opportunities if we changed conferences."

In hindsight, she said the change has saved the college money as predicted, but her decision was based on a lot of factors, not just financial ones.

Wood said Dunlap has been a "trendsetter" with the new programs and facilities.

"Joe has been the perfect personality to balance all the different interests," she said. "We are fortunate he chose North Idaho to finish out his career."

Wood said Dunlap hinted about a year ago that he might be considering retirement, so his decision didn't come as a shock to her.

"We respect what he has to do for his personal life and appreciate everything he has done for us," she said.

Mark Browning, NIC's vice president for communications and governmental relations, said Dunlap isn't one to take credit for strides the college has made in his four years during some challenging times.

"The secret sauce has been Joe and his leadership," Browning said. "He'll never take credit, but he deserves it. We were hopeful that he would stay, but it's also been really fun watching him become a grandpa."

Steve Meyer, president of the North Idaho College Foundation, said the nonprofit has been fortunate to have someone of Dunlap's caliber in the presidency.

"He has been a great partner in helping the NIC Foundation in our efforts to help the college move forward on affordability, broad access for students and career development," Meyer said.

The foundation is working on the major gift portion of a capital campaign for the new CTE facility, and Dunlap will continue to assist in a leadership role for the project, Meyer said.

Howard said the NIC board will begin a search finding the college's 10th president soon.

"Being president of North Idaho College is one of the premier jobs in the region," Howard said. "I am confident we will attract the highest level of candidates and one that will help us continue to enjoy the level of leadership and commitment we’ve enjoyed with President Dunlap."

A timeline for the search will be decided by the trustees in the near future.

"We are in the midst of a number of important arenas of work that will impact NIC now and into the future," Dunlap said. "I remain fully engaged and dedicated to our students’ and campus’ success."