NIC needs to get the best person

Hiring heads of academic institutions is an industry in itself.

North Idaho College, in its quest to find a replacement for President Michael Burke, has hired a consulting firm for $25,000. In addition, the college will spend thousands more bringing in, wining and dining presidential hopefuls.

That's only the beginning.

Last week, the college announced formation of a 22-member presidential advisory search committee, with half the members from the community and half from NIC. The committee is responsible not just for helping find a full-time replacement for Burke, but right now is helping choose an interim president as well. The entire process is expected to take about eight months.

We appreciate the challenges of finding the very best leader for our community college, someone who can further strengthen the institution and continue building bridges with the community. As the search goes forward, we also hope that a recommendation from Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls, is heeded.

In a letter to NIC's trustees, Henderson asked that the search not be restricted to candidates with doctoral degrees. His point: This is a community college, not Harvard or Stanford, and there might be some fine PhD-less presidential prospects worthy of serious consideration.

Somewhere out there, a person lacking PhD parchment might actually be better qualified to build upon NIC's professional-technical programs. She or he could have a greater understanding of the needs on campus and off, and be more able to help NIC compete for students, funding and support.

"There's nothing to lose," Henderson wrote. "You just open the door wider for a broader educational experience."

We hope NIC opens the widest door possible.

If, for instance, a doctoral degree is required, 42 of the 43 men to serve as president of the United States would not have been qualified to apply. Only Woodrow Wilson, who learned to read at the age of 12, earned a PhD.

Bill Gates, an organizational genius and the richest man in the world, didn't even get a bachelor's degree. In fact, you'll find fewer PhDs than college dropouts heading Fortune 500 companies.

We understand that running a community college is not the same thing as managing countries or corporations. We simply encourage decision-makers to get the very best person to lead this important institution, even if that person's qualifications stack up higher in the real world than they do in the classroom.