COEUR d’ALENE — A team representing North Idaho College’s accreditor found the college has made some progress since receiving a show cause sanction but cautioned that only time will tell if effective change can continue.

A team from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities conducted a site visit at NIC in late April and prepared a peer evaluation report, which the college made public Thursday afternoon.

Read the full report at cdapress.com.

"While some initial improvement has been observed, the commitment to positive change must be consistent and sustained," said the 26-page report's summary.

The closing remarks also noted that policies and procedures to support good governance, institutional integrity and ethics, leadership, finance and human resources need attention and to be enforced in order to keep NIC moving forward.

"Additionally, the institution must overcome its current environment of distrust, poor communication, conspiracy and the debilitating undercurrent of placing other priorities above those that are in the best interest of the institution," the report said. "The college president and board of trustees, individually and collectively, bear the great and vitally important responsibility of figuring out how to work together in a spirit of peace and unity to govern the college effectively. The future of North Idaho College and its students hinges upon their willingness and ability to do so."

During its April visit, the peer evaluation team met with numerous individuals and groups, including NIC President Nick Swayne, the trustees, college staff and faculty, NIC students and others.

Evaluators pointed to several areas where they observed improvement, including the board’s recent public acknowledgment of the 13 votes of no confidence passed by students, faculty and staff in the last two years. The board also made a verbal commitment to address the concerns of different constituency groups.

Students expressed appreciation for the acknowledgment, as well as hope that it represented a positive first step forward. Faculty, staff and students questioned why it took so long for the trustees to make the gesture.

“They cautioned that the April 26, 2023, statement could be pandering to the visiting evaluation team and that sustained action is paramount,” the report said. “The team concurs.”

The team also observed a “noticeable and profound change” in conduct during the April 26 board meeting, describing it as a marked change from many meetings in prior months and years.

“If the manner in which the April 26 meeting was conducted were sustained in future meetings, it would help to establish that an ‘environment respectful of meaningful discourse’ is embraced and actualized at NIC,” the report said.

But other issues persist, including confusion about who is running North Idaho College. While faculty, staff and students interviewed during the site visit indicated that Nick Swayne is president of NIC, some indicated that the matter is cloudy, because interim President Greg South remains on paid administrate leave with an 18-month contract.

Evaluators noted that the board voted to nullify Swayne’s contract last month, but leave him in place as active president until further notice.

College stakeholders reportedly indicated that frequent changes in NIC’s leadership — including five different interim, acting or permanent chief executive officers across a two-year span — has caused “uncertainty, frustration and instability” in the college community.

By placing Swayne on administrative leave in December and nullifying his contract in April, the board “has not created or maintained a mutually supportive relationship with its CEO.”

This week, trustees voted unanimously not to oppose Swayne’s request that the court grant him permanent reinstatement. It’s unclear what further action the board might take regarding Swayne’s contract, which remains nullified.

In late June, NWCCU’s board of commissioners will convene and consider the peer evaluation report. NIC representatives will be invited to appear and respond to questions.

A decision from NWCCU regarding NIC’s accreditation is expected by the end of July.