COEUR d’ALENE — North Idaho College endured.

That was the refrain Wednesday, when more than 150 NIC employees gathered in the Lake Coeur d’Alene Room of the Edminster Student Union Building on campus to celebrate the college returning to good standing with its accreditor. 

“We made it,” said NIC President Nick Swayne, who dished up lunch for employees alongside members of his cabinet. “We survived.” 

Last month’s decision came three years after NIC received a show-cause sanction from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities due to governance problems and decisions made by a former majority bloc on the board of trustees. 

For employees, the gathering was a chance to decompress after years of turmoil and uncertainty about NIC’s future. 

“I almost called it a minor miracle, but it’s closer to a major one,” said Joe Jacoby, division chair of communications and fine arts at NIC. 

He recalled the moment in February when NWCCU Senior Vice President Ed Harri announced that NIC had resolved the governance issues and was once again in compliance with all accreditation standards and requirements. 

“All of a sudden, I realized how much of a weight it had been,” he said. “It was moving to think of how we had been through all this. Many times, we thought we wouldn’t make it. Now we just get to work and do our jobs.” 

Jamie Berube, a senior administrative assistant in Advising Services, said she was ecstatic to learn that the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities lifted the sanctions and is glad to celebrate with her colleagues this week. 

“We’ve worked so hard,” she said. “It’s been an emotional rollercoaster.” 

With the crisis over, Berube said NIC employees can focus on serving students without the threat of accreditation loss hanging over them. 

“I think there are so many good things ahead,” she said. “It’s easy to follow a leader like Dr. Swayne and his team.” 

For his part, Swayne praised NIC’s employees, who he said remained dedicated to the college and its mission throughout the accreditation saga. He said it was amazing to celebrate with so many employees Wednesday. 

“This is by far the largest turnout we’ve had (for an employee event),” he said. 

Looking back on the past three years, Jacoby said what stands out to him is the resiliency of NIC staff and leadership. 

“I don’t know if people realize how close we were to going away,” Jacoby said. “I’m so grateful for the support of the community and to be part of a community that values education as much as Coeur d’Alene does.” 

    North Idaho College employees gathered Wednesday for a celebratory lunch.
  

    North Idaho College President Nick Swayne shares a smile with college employees Wednesdsay.