New North Idaho College trustees to be sworn in

COEUR d’ALENE — Fresh off winning their elections, North Idaho College’s new trustees met with college leadership and their counterparts on the board Tuesday.

Before they’re sworn into office tonight, Rick Durbin, Eve Knudtsen and Mary Havercroft joined Tarie Zimmerman and Brad Corkill in the Driftwood Bay Room on campus for board orientation and development. 

“Something tells me that none of you ran for office out of ego,” Ken Burke, a consultant from the Association of Community College Trustees, told the new trustees. “You ran for the good of the community. That’s what public service is about.” 

Burke emphasized that the trustees have no individual power. Rather, they exercise power when acting as a group during meetings. Their only employee is the college president. 

“You’re on the same team to advance the college,” Burke said. 

Tuesday’s training set the stage for the new board’s first meeting, set for 6 p.m. tonight in the Lake Coeur d’Alene Room of the Edminster Student Union Building on campus. 

On the agenda for Wednesday night are action items related to the college’s current legal services, initiating the president’s contract review and addressing “athletics sustainability.” 

Zimmerman said she felt a good energy in the room when she sat down with Corkill and the newly elected trustees. She indicated she’s optimistic about the board’s ability to resolve the remaining concerns outlined by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. 

“We have such an opportunity to make a quick, positive impact,” she said. 

Zimmerman said the recent election of three new trustees has brought a renewed hope about NIC’s future to campus. She said the past two years, during which she and Corkill were a minority on the board, were challenging for the college community. 

“It’s been heartbreaking many times, not only for the people who work here, but also the students,” she said. “They were suffering. I just know that isn’t going to be the case anymore.” 

ACCT consultant Debbie DiThomas said the staff and faculty are the most important people at NIC. She said the trustees set the tone for the college community and should be mindful of the effect they have. 

“I don’t know if we could emphasize enough the impact trustees have on morale and the feeling on campus,” she said. 

NIC President Nick Swayne agreed. He said the faculty and staff care deeply about the college and many have been deeply affected by the turmoil that stemmed from past trustees’ decisions. 

“The presence of a functioning board is going to have a significant impact on the college,” he said. 

The three new trustees all said they chose to run for office because they wanted to help resolve NIC’s accreditation crisis. The college has operated under a show cause sanction, the last step before loss of accreditation, since last February and has until April 1 to return to good standing. 

“I’m looking forward to serving NIC,” Durbin said. “This is a true blessing.” 

Over the past two years, DiThomas said, people in higher education from all over the country have closely followed NIC’s journey. Whatever happens next will serve as an example to other educational institutions. 

“Everybody is looking at NIC,” she said. “It’s a phenomenal opportunity.”