NIC FORUM: Accreditation warning not a conspiracy theory

As I was leaving the NIC forum for the candidates who are running for trustee positions, I heard loud proclamations from one man, that the whole loss of accreditation issue was blown out of proportion. The Press editorial of Oct. 5 noted that some people even think that the whole notion of NIC loosing accreditation is a conspiracy theory. In my 10 years as faculty for one of the finest nursing programs in the country, I went through two accreditation processes. I am well aware of the responsibility of meeting accreditation requirements. If there is a loss of accreditation, the privilege of being recognized as a quality program is also lost. That is a fact. It is not blown out of proportion, nor is it a conspiracy theory. My point is, NIC’s struggle to keep accreditation is not blown out of proportion.

Only three of the six candidates cared enough to show up to the forum. Ronald Hartman, Diana Sheridan and Mike Waggoner were no-shows. They apparently had nothing to say, and nothing to present that would lead me to believe they had the best interest of NIC at heart.

Tarie Zimmerman, Brad Corkill and Pete Broschet answered some complex questions and gave me an incentive to vote for them. They believed the facts surrounding NIC’s jeopardized accreditation and expressed a sincere desire to work together on a board that will again put our college on a firm foundation of excellence.

MARSHA BECKER

Dalton Gardens