COEUR d'ALENE - Some longtime supporters of North Idaho College's athletics programs aren't happy with the college administration's decision to deal with a budget shortfall by seeking an athletic conference change.

NIC Athletics Director Al Williams and President Joe Dunlap announced last week that in the face of declining enrollment and dwindling revenue, they would ask NIC's Board of Trustees to allow the school to move from the National Junior College Athletic Association to the regional Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges. The switch is expected to save NIC roughly $600,000 per year in travel and scholarship costs and generate some tuition revenue for the college's general fund. It will also remove the college from national competition.

The other option is to eliminate some sports programs.

"I think that it's much more important as a program, to provide opportunities for more student athletes, as opposed to less," Williams told about 35 people who turned out for the booster club meeting at The Coeur d'Alene Resort.

He listened to criticism from some passionate athletics program supporters.

"The sacrifice we make in athletics is much greater than in other parts of the college... This is a major change to the athletics. We can't go back there once we change this," said longtime booster Don Sausser.

Jack McNeel, a booster since the '70s, said he strongly opposes a conference change.

"It makes me so mad, I can hardly even talk about it," McNeel said.

The college's tuition revenue has increased 483 percent over the last decade, he said, and funding for athletics has lagged significantly behind that.

McNeel said that like Sausser, he believes the college will never be able to transition back to the national conference.

"We'll never have that national recognition. I'll never have the pride in Idaho that I have now," he said.

He questioned the way the college's administration has handled the situation.

"The administration, you Al, knew the budget was a problem last September. Why didn't we hear about it in September or October or November? The first official notice is today," McNeel said.

He said he doesn't like the idea of cutting sports programs either, but said he thought that might be a better way to address the situation.

Sausser told The Press that he was disappointed that the booster club's board voted to support the administration's proposal to move to NWAACC. Sausser said he would prefer they consider cutting some sports programs until the financial picture improves and then bring the programs back, or reject both options and find a more suitable way to deal with the budget situation.

Jon Parson, president of the booster club board, said the board members supported the administration's proposal because they were only given two options and neither was very good.

"I hope it doesn't come down to that. I hope the board of trustees can make some process changes, or put some other solutions in the mix that won't allow us to go down this one-way street," Parson said.

Trustee Christie Wood attended Tuesday's booster club meeting and told the group that the trustees have not met and discussed the proposal yet.

She said because the issue affects so many people, she would like the decision to be a more collaborative one.

"I wouldn't want you to think it's a done deal... we may find this is the right thing to do, but I really want to follow process on this, and that will be my pitch to the rest of the board," Wood said.

Marco Azurdia, NWACC's executive director, told The Press in a phone call from Vancouver, Wash., that the 34 member schools that comprise the NWAACC commission voted unanimously Tuesday to invite NIC to join the association.

North Idaho College's trustees will consider the proposal when they meet tonight on the college campus.

• If you go

What: North Idaho College Board of Trustees meeting

When: 6 p.m. today

Where: Edminster Student Union Building - Lake Coeur d'Alene Room