COLLEGE: NIC is GREAT

North Idaho College is GREAT, with one and only one exception, the majority of the board of trustees: Greg McKenzie, Mike Waggoner, and Todd Banducci. Leading up to the November 2022 election, these three loudly proclaimed that accreditation was not an issue at the college — even though the college was on a status of ‘Warning.’ The November 2022 election put this board majority in place. Greg McKenzie immediately took over as Board Chair and from that moment chaos began.  

Wasting no time, the three hired an attorney who wrote his own contract and named his own price. They suspended policies and put President Swayne on administrative leave. Next, they hired a second president with a fat salary and multiple financial perks. As a result of the actions of this board majority (Greg McKenzie), the college was suddenly defending itself from multiple lawsuits, declining enrollment, employee departures, and increasing insurance costs. 

In a matter of weeks, Chair McKenzie lead the college from the sanction of ‘Warning’ to the sanction of ‘Show Cause,’ a consequence of the bad board governance taking place under McKenzie. The college must now provide evidence that it should retain accreditation. 

In March 2023, under court order, President Swayne was reinstated. Through his leadership, the college has partnered with consultants to improve board governance, worked to increase enrollment, improve employee retention, and provide evidence for retaining accreditation. 

NIC is Great due to the outstanding leadership of President Nick Swayne, under the accreditation threat, and extraordinary circumstances, he has driven enrollment up more than 15%, a truly remarkable accomplishment. 

‘NIC is Great’ in spite of McKenzie and his board majority. 

TARIE ZIMMERMAN

Coeur d’Alene