15 centuries at NIC sound off

A blast from the past has joined the chorus of those concerned with the direction three trustees are taking North Idaho College.

Not just one blast — 66 of them.

In a Nov. 17 letter acquired by The Press, former and retired North Idaho College faculty, staff, administrators and trustees called for action from the college’s accreditation organization in the wake of numerous concerns over the leadership of board of trustees members Todd Banducci, Greg McKenzie and Michael Barnes.

The letter sent to the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities targets trustee decisions that could “ultimately mean the loss of accreditation for the college” and calls for help.

"While we fully understand it is not in the purview of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities to interfere with the inner workings of institutions, it seems that you may well be able to express in powerful ways your reservations concerning the implications about what you’ve come to understand is happening at NIC," the letter said.

The letter was signed by 66 former and retired NIC affiliates who served 1,514.5 combined years at the college.

“I think that's an incredibly powerful statement about the concern that we have about what's going on,” Tim Christie, a retired communication instructor after 35 years at NIC, told The Press on Tuesday. “That’s the kind of investment that people made to that school.”

Christie co-authored the letter. He said many signers, including himself, spent over half their life at the college.

NIC Trustee Ken Howard said Tuesday he was happy to see a wide array of people who had a close association with the college express their concerns about the condition of current affairs.

“They have an intimate knowledge of what goes on at the college and to see their concern expressed is something I support,” Howard said.

Virginia Johnson of Coeur d’Alene, a retired English instructor and former division chair of the English and Communication and Fine Arts divisions, spent 43 years serving the college. So far, Johnson said, she's the longest term employee ever at NIC.

Johnson said she helped craft the letter because she felt the voices of retirees would have an influence on the commission and make them aware of some of the trustees' actions.

Johnson said she’s not certain the trustees have really understood what damage they can do if accreditation is revoked.

NIC’s accreditation is under review by the NWCCU and a site visit from evaluators is set for Jan. 18. The visit was sparked by a second complaint from local human rights task forces. They initially cited the actions of board chair Banducci and

trustees McKenzie and Barnes, calling them “counter to civil and human rights and civil liberties.”

Howard said he's extremely concerned about the situation. He said it would be hard for him to think that the three trustees didn't understand the importance of the situation because it's been discussed in meetings.

“I do not understand their actions in terms of the way they’ve conducted themselves,” Howard said. “I don’t understand the reasons for that.”

Johnson said she had never seen board meetings like those held in the last few months, with the lack of regard for other board members and former President Rick MacLennan.

Johnson referenced the Sept. 22 meeting, where Banducci silenced MacLennan. After the president was fired without cause and wished to address the board, Banducci told MacLennan he'd already had his turn to speak.

“I’ve never seen anybody be so rude and unfeeling to someone,” Johnson said. “(There was) no regard for (MacLennan’s) position.”

Through her four-plus decades of service at the college, Johnson said she has attended many board meetings as well as been on search committees for around 100 employees.

She said it seemed that board members Banducci, McKenzie and Barnes were encouraging destruction rather than supporting and encouraging excellence at the college.

In all the years she’s worked at NIC, Johnson said everyone's had the success of students as their No. 1 priority.

“I don’t see that regard for students in what the board members are doing,” Johnson told The Press. “They seem to have a plan to do something to take the college down.”

NIC Trustee Christie Wood said personal agendas and partisan politics have been infused into board leadership by the majority of the board.

“This has to stop,” Wood said. “We have too much to lose for our community to allow it to continue.”

Jack Beebe, a former NIC trustee and board chair, told The Press that when he was on the board, their whole goal was to make sure NIC was a community college and wasn’t set up for particular types of political philosophy.

“We weren’t there to indoctrinate anybody,” Beebe said. “That’s not what college is all about.”

Beebe said he's concerned that the board is becoming too politicized instead of focusing on the well-being of college students

Allie Vogt, who retired after 34 years teaching in the art department, said the college today is one very different from the one she knew — an institution that served, supported and embraced the community.

“I’m just sort of struck by that lack of support and integral kind of listening and understanding for the things that are just essential to the community,” Vogt said. “I’m really saddened by the state of things now.”

Vogt said the three trustees aren't focusing on the good of the institution, which includes supporting faculty and administrators. She said firing a president who was dedicated to the college mission was damaging to the institution and unsupportive of faculty and students.

Karen Ruppel, who retired in June after serving 24 years at the college in roles including the division chair of health professionals and NIC’s accreditation liaison officer, said the three board members are operating outside their roles as trustees while violating established policies and procedures.

“We have a concern that we’re seeing a demise and chipping away of the college’s well being,” she said.

Even though trustee candidates run in nonpartisan elections, Ruppel said politics have played a key role in what's been happening this year. That includes four college leaders departing in early January.

Positions including the president, all three vice presidents and all three dean positions are either vacant or will be by the end of the school year.

“That part is really sad,” Ruppel said. “When you lose that kind of leadership, it takes a long time to rebuild.”

Banducci, McKenzie and Barnes did not respond to a Press request for their comments.