NIC enrollment picture brightening; South contract to end

COEUR d’ALENE — Enrollment is going up, an interim president's contract won't be renewed and legal issues are ongoing at North Idaho College. 

President Nick Swayne touted NIC’s enrollment numbers Wednesday night, during the board's monthly meeting.

The number of first-time, degree-seeking students has increased 19.2% over last spring, and declining enrollment for continuing transfer students has slowed to just 1.1%. For the past decade, continuing transfer students have typically decreased between 3% and 6% each year.

“There’s still eight and 12-week courses students can register for, so we may break even on continuing transfer students,” Swayne said.

Dual credit enrollment is down compared to last year, but Swayne noted the first big push into local high schools was meant to begin Jan. 17 and was delayed by the snowstorm, which closed schools.

“We hope to bump our enrollment on dual enrollment,” he said. “If we’re successful on that, we could, for the first time in 10 years, have flat or improved enrollment from spring to spring, year over year. That would be a huge turnaround in the program.”

During the same meeting, Board Chair Mike Waggoner announced interim president Greg South, who has been on paid administrative leave since March 2023, won't be renewed. 

“We have communicated with Dr. South and confirmed with him that his contract will end on June 30 and will not be renewed,” Waggoner said. “It took a lot of work and we got it all squared away.”

In December 2022, the board voted 3-2 to approve an 18-month employment contract for South to serve as NIC’s active president after they placed President Nick Swayne on paid administrative leave. Trustees Brad Corkill and Tarie Zimmerman cast the dissenting votes.

South was on the job for just 75 days before trustees complied with a court order to reinstate Swayne. The board then placed South on paid administrative leave, where he has since remained. 

Trustees did not take action Wednesday night on the investigative report that a judge ordered the college to turn over to Swayne Monday.

The board was scheduled to meet in executive session to discuss Swayne’s successful public records lawsuit and the college’s response to the investigate report at the center of that suit. Four out of five trustees must agree to an executive session, however, and Zimmerman and Corkill declined to do so Wednesday.

Both said they were uncomfortable going into a closed session.

“I think if there’s anything that needs to be discussed at this point, it should be discussed in open session,” Corkill said.

At that, Trustee Todd Banducci laughed.

“It’s asinine, completely and totally,” Banducci said. “I mean, I have no idea what’s going to be said by our attorneys and I have no idea what the discussion is going to be. That you had to stand and be a jackass like that is amazing.”

“That is really uncalled for,” Zimmerman said.

“Oh, you just jump right in there,” Banducci replied. “Speak with what you’ve got to be scripted for and then you’ll shut up for the rest of the night, once you’ve done what you’ve prepared to speak. You guys are lunatics on this. We’re going to hear from our attorneys and you say we can’t go into executive session. Obstructionists. Obstructionists.”

Corkill said he was reluctant to go into executive session because the actions of certain trustees have not matched the consensus agreed upon during previous executive sessions. 

College attorney Colton Boyles encouraged trustees to enter executive session in order to hear from panel counsel representing NIC in Swayne’s lawsuit.

“I’ve spoken with panel counsel and I think that we’re missing a critical opportunity right now to hear some creative solutions that they have to propose and you might be surprised at what they’re going to propose,” he said.

By a 3-2 vote, the board later agreed to direct legal counsel to reach out to Swayne’s attorneys and seek the most “cost efficient and prudent” resolution in the case.

Boyles indicated this may involve discussion or negotiation about attorney fees and costs to be paid by the college. First District Judge Barry McHugh ordered last week that Swayne is entitled to receive attorney fees and costs.

    South
  

    Waggoner
  

    Corkill
  

    Banducci
  

    Tarie Zimmerman