NIC releases special report to accreditor

COEUR d’ALENE — North Idaho College published a special report Friday to its accrediting body.

When the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities announced in July that it would extend NIC’s show cause sanction, it also provided a timeline of next steps for the school to regain good standing. The timeline includes a special report and site visit this fall.

The 19-page report, which is available to read at www.nic.edu/keypoints, describes what progress NIC has made toward meeting specific recommendations from its accreditor.

For example, the commission pointed to declining enrollments and accompanying reduction in tuition revenue as a concern.

Since the show cause sanction was extended, NIC launched a recruiting and marketing push that recruited an additional 747 students in a little over a month and improved tuition revenue to to within 2% of its fall tuition revenue budget by the first day of the semester. Administrators expect an increase in these figures due to additional dual credit and late start registrations.

The report acknowledged areas where NIC has faced setbacks. For example, when the commission extended the show cause sanction, NIC President Nick Swayne’s lawsuit for reinstatement appeared to be settled. Swayne won summary judgement in July, a month after trustees voted unanimously not to fight the lawsuit any longer. But attorneys representing NIC filed a notice of appeal in the case Aug. 31, putting the matter in question again.

The report also noted that, through coaching and training, strides have been made in improving the relationship between the board and NIC's president, but noted the board did not support the administration and faculty assembly's recommendation when it hired Colton Boyles to serve as NIC general counsel.

NIC will submit another special report to its accreditor and have another site visit in spring 2024.