Three taxpayers representing themselves are suing North Idaho College and the NIC Foundation. Larry Spencer, Bill McCrory and Tom May filed a complaint in the First District Court Oct. 27 alleging that the lease agreement for the purchase of the De Armond Mill site violates the Idaho Constitution and the contract should be voided by the court.
The faculty and staff of NIC are working toward making the college culturally diverse. Plans have already started with meetings, committees forming and events planned to achieve this goal. The first meeting for faculty and staff was on Oct. 29, when they met with Raymond Reyes, PhD, associate academic vice president and intercultural relations at Gonzaga University, to gather information for Reyes as to what the faculty and staff would like to accomplish in making NIC more culturally diverse.
NIC has always been focused on professional-technical training. This devotion is evidenced in the purchase of a dynamometer for the Outdoor Power/Recreational Vehicle Technology Program , a hulking $30,000 machine used to fine-tune motorcycle systems. "It is a very sophisticated timing tool," said Brian Coons, outdoor power/recreational vehicle technology instructor.
The 800-student increase over last year is putting a strain on the different departments on campus. At the last Town Hall Meeting, Vice President for Student Services Eric Murray asked for the heads of departments to express their concerns so that the school can come up with possible alternatives if needed.
Dual-enrollment students are at an all-time high this fall. Out of about 5,600 students currently enrolled at NIC, 604 are dual-enrolled, a 13.3 percent increase from last year. Dual-enrollment (or WINGS) allows high school students to take college courses for college credits while still attending high school.
North Idaho Community Express (N.I.C.E.) provides transportation for students and staff from Sandpoint to Coeur d'Alene on a daily basis. N.I.C.E. is a public transportation service that transports students, staff and other community workers to the specific places where they need to go.
NIC will complement the Educational Corridor development with a $1.1 million, 40-acre purchase for the new Kootenai Technical Educational Campus (KTEC). Trustees voiced unanimous support Oct. 29 for school administration to pursue purchasing the property located south of Rathdrum near the intersection of Lancaster and Meyer.
The Auxiliary Services Department implemented a meal card program this spring to give students and staff an alternative method to purchase food and snacks without having to carry cash or write a check. The meal card idea was initially offered in a pilot program last spring, after many parents, students and staff had been inquiring about such a service.
The Tenure Committee is seeking written testimony from administrators, faculty and students on probationary instructors who have applied for initial tenure. These instructors include communication instructor Audrey Bourne, physical education and recreation management instructor Ryan Hayes, automotive technology instructor Mark Magill, music instructor Max Mendez, radiography technology Instructor Debra Ortiz and business administration instructor Casy Wilhelm.