COEUR d'ALENE - The standards are set high, and the North Idaho College board of trustees expects to tap a new college president from a broad range of applicants by mid April.

"My hope is that we have such a sufficient pool of applicants that by the time the search committee does its screening and interviewing and turns its list over to the trustees, we'll have such highly qualified candidates we can't make a mistake," said trustee Ken Howard.

The new administrator tasked with overseeing day-to-day operations of the community college won't necessarily be an academic, Howard emphasized, but might be a member of the general community boasting an ideally diverse skill set.

"This is not a narrowly focused search. It's wide ranging to get the best possible leader for the college," Howard said, adding that information about the opening has been sent to business groups as well as across the academic community.

"There's a lot of talent out there. We want to find as much of it as we can."

NIC is seeking a replacement for current school president Priscilla Bell, who plans to retire later this year.

The trustees' efforts have included creating a 20-member search committee comprised of school staff, students and community members. There were also public forums held last month to collect suggestions for dream presidential qualifications.

The trustees have also contracted Washington, D.C.-based consultant Association of Community College Trustees for $30,000 to spread word of the opening across academic networks and to help facilitate the selection process.

"The president is an integral part of the college," Howard said of the importance of the decision.

The presidential profile on NIC's website sets the bar for an ideal applicant as a "visionary leader with superb communication skills." A list of appealing characteristics include experience with fundraising and grant applications, being well versed in all levels of government, commitment to promoting diversity and human rights and experience working with American Indian communities.

A doctorate is also among the preferred qualifications.

"I don't think anyone's going to bring us all of those," Howard said. "But there are going to be some people who may be very strong in some areas or strong in other areas. Our hope is in casting a very broad net out there."

Following the March 1 application deadline, the search committee will narrow down applicants to a short list next month, according to the trustees' timeline.

Howard hopes to schedule public forums with the candidates, so local residents can offer input.

"It's critical that we reach out to the community," he said, noting that the search committee includes representatives of different demographics outside the school. "This is not a selection process that's made by five people in a darkened room someplace. This is a selection process that's designed to include the entire community as much as possible."

The trustees will make the final choice, he said.

Given the appeal of a resort town and NIC's reputation, the board is expecting a large number of applications, he said.

The new president's compensation package has yet to be determined, Howard added, but said the trustees aim to keep it regionally competitive.

"At the same time, we are in Idaho and we are in a difficult financial period," Howard said. "All those things are foremost in our minds."

The president will be charged with implementing policy set by the five-member trustee board, Howard said, as well as fundraising, representing the school to the media and public and administering all that occurs on the college campus.

"The president has a multi-faceted role," Howard said. "So it's important to pick someone with a large range of talents."