MY TURN: Here's how Banducci can be NIC hero

The recent response from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities to North Idaho College (NIC) was deeply concerning. Last week, they made it clear that they have been patient long enough with the three Trustees from the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee (KCRCC) and have decided to suspend all upcoming accreditation reviews until October. 

After enduring four years of their inadequate and unacceptable behavior, the commission has signaled that enough is enough. If there is no significant improvement in the conduct of these trustees before October, the college could face the loss of accreditation by April of next year.

Two years ago, Ken Howard and I resigned from our trustee positions to give NIC a fighting chance. We anticipated that, according to Idaho law, the state would step in and appoint three new trustees. 

These state-appointed trustees — Wold, Goedde and Broschet — were deeply committed to our community and the future of NIC. They worked tirelessly to shield the institution from the chaos caused by Banducci and McKenzie. 

Unfortunately, in the 2020 election, the KCRCC gained ground, and Mike Waggoner joined in promoting personal ideologies over effective leadership.

These three individuals seem determined to jeopardize the college's accreditation. While I hold onto a sliver of hope that Waggoner may have some concern, he still aligns with decisions that lead to unforgivable lawsuits, which only harm the institution.

President Swayne, along with his administration, faculty, and staff, has demonstrated remarkable resilience under the most challenging circumstances. As a former trustee, I understand what it takes to ensure student success.

Just imagine the potential impact on our community and our students if we had a supportive and collaborative board of trustees. Only Zimmerman and Corkill have consistently served the college well.

The KCRCC 3 have brought nothing but disgrace, financial mismanagement, and the gravest threat to the college in its 90-year history. The only viable solution to this impending crisis is for Todd and Greg to resign immediately. 

It's time for Todd to pursue his interests elsewhere. Since Todd has made it clear he is not seeking re-election, he should seize the opportunity to become a hero in our community rather than bearing the burden of shame for the remainder of his days. Greg should follow suit, as he is equally detrimental to the college's success. 

It's time for both to do the right thing, for once.

• • •

Christie Wood is NIC Trustee Emeritus.