Dear Trustees: It’s Time To Do The Right Thing And Save NIC’s Accreditation
It’s time to get serious.
Recently, an anonymous letter to the editor alleged that North Idaho College’s administration, namely it’s CEO Nick Swayne might be witholding a new report, written by the NWCCU, following their on-campus visit last month. The letter stated:
“We've heard rumors. Rumors that started when someone overheard Dr. Swayne bitching about statements recently made about Dr. Swayne by the NWCCU during a retirement ceremony on campus. Since then, Dr. Swayne has asked for a summary judgment on his lawsuit, while hiding a report that potentially says that he is the greatest threat to accreditation.”
What if the reason why the NWCCU report is being hidden is because it doesn't align with the propaganda that the Establishment Media outlets have previously been so eager to report?
Dr. Nick (Dominic) Swayne was hired by three trustees, Goedde, Wold, and Broschet, who were appointed by the Idaho State Board of Education following the resignation of liberal trustees Ken Howard and Christie Wood last summer. Those appointed trustees appeared to represent the interests of groups like the NIC Foundation, the Rotary Club, and other special interest groups in our area that have deep pockets - not the voters.
Since being hired, Swayne has joined the Rotary Club and his wife, Nicky, is now a member of the Cd’A Chamber. Is this an effort to help advance the interests of North Idaho College, or the local liberal cabal that makes up the dark underbelly of Kootenai County?
Dr. Swayne is now also, according to the Macomber Report, an officer of NIC Foundation Inc.
What if there is a conflict of interest between Swaynes duties as the CEO of the college, and as an officer of the NIC Foundation?
If five unbiased observers were to come on campus and investigate, would they note that the individual who makes over $300,000 annually from Kootenai County taxpayers (including salary, housing stipend, retirement compensation, and other fringe benefits) could be failing to meet NWCCU Standards and Eligibility Requirements?
What if Nick Swayne isn't viewed by the NWCCU as effective when dealing with the board? What if they feel he has no idea how to effectively engage the board? What if he doesn't even comprehend NIC policies and his role in implementing them?
What does the report say? Why is it being concealed?
Is Nick Swayne qualified for the position? He has never been a president before, and the military is vastly different from higher education. Is he full-time responsible for the college? Or is his loyalty to the Foundation, as postulated in the Macomber report? How much time does he spend fundraising on their behalf and building their relationships instead of focusing on bringing an end to the accreditation chaos?
NIC requires someone who is full-time serving the College; not the Chamber, not the NIC Foundation, not the Rotary Club.
NIC is in chaos. It’s “on fire” as one editorial in the CDA Press said.
Is Dr. Swayne a firefighter or an arsonist? Would a fireman put out the fire, or would he hide the hoses and let it all burn down?
Did this liberal group of business interests instigate the chaos, and provide the spark that lit that fire? What if a genuine inquiry into what is happening at NIC reveals Swayne’s culpability?
Has Dr. Swayne ever demonstrated the ability to effectively work with his board?
Emails will show that in November and April, he made it very difficult for them to even schedule a meeting. Does he even understand how to effectively engage them? What do the peer reviewers think about him in this regard?
Nick Swayne has fought against having testimony at his trial, and has filed a motion for summary judgment. He does not seem to want transparency. Could it be that he just wants power for himself even if it means NIC loses accreditation?
Write to your NIC Board of Trustees and demand that they share the findings of the NWCCU and let you know if Nick Swayne is meeting the standards and eligibility requirements.
It may be the case that Nick Swayne does have a legal contract. It may be the case that he doesn’t, as alleged in the Macomber report… But accreditation requires more, and we should all demand more from him. If a mistake was made in hiring him, NIC should pay him his money, and send him on his merry way. Bring back Dr. South and his team of actually qualified senior staff to fix the problems.
Trustees Corkill & Zimmerman, you still have time to do the right thing and SAVE NIC’s accreditation. If our suspicions are accurate, and these concerns are in fact included in that report, you have one way to save accreditation. Fire Swayne.
The clock is ticking.