Chief Allan sends a letter to the Board of Trustees

Coeur d’Alene Tribe Chairman Chief Allan sent a letter to the Board of Trustees on the Tribes concern about the accreditation standing of North Idaho College.

Though the accreditation is in good standing at this point of time, it is still under review by Northwest Commissions on Colleges and Universities. The letter was read at the January 5 board meeting by Trustee Ken howard who said that the board should respond. In the letter Chief Allan said, “The fact that the accreditation status is even in question weakens the institution and places the education future of every students in doubt.”

North Idaho College has a Nine-Point Agreement with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe that Chief Allan highlights in his letter to the board. The Nine-Point Agreement is a partnership between the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and North Idaho College that puts effort to acknowledge, celebrate and enhance the colleges commitment to the Tribe. 

Both parties in the Agreement are too, “Utilize the resources of the College to better serve the members of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.” Chief Allan also said that there are seventy current students who go through tribal scholarships, forty-five of them being from the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. 

At the end of the letter, Chief Allans calls for the Board of Trustee to publicly confirm their commitment to education and reassure their partner, community, students and faculty that North Idaho College is still the centerpiece of education. 

The Board of Trustees held a meeting on January 18 2022, and one of the action item were their response to the letter by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. 

Chairman Todd Banducci asked for trustee Ken Howard’s response to the letter, “I have no further comments, I approve of the letter.” 

The board approves of their response to the Coeur d’Alene Tribe,  and that they will revisit the letter in the next board meeting on February 23 2022. 

At the next meeting, the board will also be conducting interviews to fill the vacant spot of former trustee Michaels Barnes who resigned. Barnes was also the board liaison position at KTEC.

Interim President Dr Michael Sebaaly shared an advertisement for the board to direct the administration to publicly the vacancy on the board. The interim elected official will serve the remainder of zone 5 until the November 22 election in 2024. 

Individuals interested in the position of Zone 5 will send Letters of Interest to the board until February 9 2022, and the interview will be conducted at the next board meeting. The letters must include the address of the individual, to find the location of zone 5 go to www.nic.edu/board and click on Zone Map. 

Trustee Christie Woods expresses interest on the board liaison position at KTEC. Chairman Banducci was board liaison until Barnes took his position. Trustee Woods and Howard voted aye, and trustee McKenzie did not vote. 

After voting by the board, Chairman Banducci  told trustee Woods that he will get her contact information for the directors, the agenda and all [other] information. 

“Just because i’m familiar with it, it is easier for me to be [of] assistance.”