COEUR d’ALENE — North Idaho College’s athletics budget could jump from $2.2 million in 2024 to $6.2 million in 2025 due to full scholarships for student athletes and additional travel costs associated with NIC’s return to the National Junior College Athletic Association.

NIC trustees heard an overview Wednesday night about the proposed athletics budget for fiscal year 2025.

Last September, trustees voted 3-2 to have NIC cover tuition, fees, books, room and board and one round-trip flight for all student athletes playing sports associated with the Scenic West Athletic Conference, regardless of the student’s residency.

The decision would apply to 152 student athletes and equate to a roughly $40,000 financial investment in each one.

“We have employees that make less than that,” NIC President Nick Swayne said Wednesday night.

Sarah Garcia, NIC’s vice president for finance and business, said these costs assume a “worst-case scenario” where all student athletes are international.

“I would strongly recommend that we budget for the worst-case scenario,” she said. “That’s the conservative thing to do.”

NIC athletic director Shawn Nöel said that, so far, about 80 student athletes are signed up for “full scholarships” next year. When Trustee Greg McKenzie asked if “the full amount the board allowed will be executed,” Nöel indicated it will be.

Books, room and board and a $600 maximum for round-trip travel aren’t offered to all student athletes by other community colleges, Garcia said. These items total about $2.2 million, equivalent to the entire athletic budget for 2024.

Garcia noted that other colleges don’t provide full scholarships for all student athletes.

“Other schools are not offering this,” Trustee Mike Waggoner said. “We are and it’s costing us money.”

Trustee Todd Banducci, who made the original proposal last fall, suggested the estimated $1.2 million increase to the grant in aid budget for athletics is a “fake number,” “not real dollars” and “funny money” that doesn’t represent the college’s out-of-pocket costs.

“That’s just bottoms in the seat in the classroom, but we’re already paying for the classroom and the instructor’s already there, so there’s no added cost,” he said.

McKenzie said the significant increase to the athletics budget reflects his priorities for North Idaho College.

“If you want to attract the best athletes and be competitive, you have to have the best offering to students,” he said. “We do offer many things that other colleges don’t. A beach, a great environment, supportive students. Your books, your housing are paid for. You get to do what you’re best at — sports, study, get the job done.”

In April, trustees will review the proposed budget for fiscal year 2025.

Garcia said the budget will assume a 3% increase in salaries for full-time employees, as well as an average premium increase of 5% for employee health insurance. The budget won’t include any property tax increase except for new property on the rolls, nor will it include any tuition or fee increases.

Swayne said he learned Wednesday that the Legislature will not grant NIC’s request for $12 million to build a 20-acre facility with a driving course and pistol range, nor for additional funding to hire more nursing instructors.

    Waggoner
  

    Banducci