NIC: Building bad reputation

With an adult son at NIC in professional courses I accept that Banducci’s Bandits won this one without forecasting or projecting the fallout. They won the battle by capriciously dismissing NIC President Rick MacLennan.

Sadly, perception and optics in the time of the internet and instant shares will have consequences. Bad reputations are like old fish — they rot.

An educational institute recruits presidents, educators, students and donors by results and reputation. Parents do not want to send their students into political mayhem. Identifying a presidential candidate as a sycophant to the Banducci Board will be an uphill battle. Professors and students need to focus on accreditation, tenure and curriculum, not malicious battles.

Future “customers” will Google NIC and this is not acceptable optics. There are plenty of college choices, so who would knowingly step into turmoil and disrespect with a board that impales its future?

These three wanted NIC to be more local. The problem is we need students beyond Kootenai County or Bonners Ferry to feed our city/state and booster-funded school.

The levels of disrespect at the Sept. 22 board meeting I hope to never see at ANY public forum again. Basic procedural rules, agenda and format of a respectful meeting meant nothing to these three. I was mortified thinking this Banducci Board of Political Grandstanders has all the clout and no respect for statutes, contracts or taxpayer funds.

If this is Barnes’, Banducci’s and McKenzie’s idea of leadership, I call foul.

LYNN FLEMING

Coeur d’Alene