As the Board of Trustees reinstate Nick Swayne as North Idaho College President, a teach out plan becomes a top priority.
To maintain accreditation, the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities require NIC to create a teach out plan.
“We’re not going to get a second chance,” Swayne said.
Swayne said his focus is on accreditation and getting the school back on track, providing the accrediting body with evidence and factual information, coming up with the “best, right answer” the accrediting body is looking for and that the board of trustees are willing to address these concerns. He also admitted creating a teach out plan can become complicated.
The complicated process involves whether NIC should implement the plan in the first place. Where 4,200 students will go, what programs other colleges offer, among other issues at hand.
Chief Communications and Communications officer Laura Rumpler interjected to add to the conversation.
Rumpler said the requirements NWCCU wants NIC to follow are mandated through Federal Law and the Department of Education, adding there are three components to this process: mapping out programs, creating a list of enrolled students and their academic progress, along with finding institutions with the same programs.
Swayne said there are options creating a teach out plan. One includes an immediate teach out and the other figuring out over two semesters how to “regain accreditation.”
This teach out plan would address some of the concerns the accrediting body has about NIC.
Swayne said addressing those concerns are a goal of the college “we have to work through.”
The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is part of the Regional Accrediting Organization and Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
For more information about accreditation, accreditation of Keypoints are and accreditation FAQ’s. NWCCU February 9 letter.
Edit: Some grammatical corrections and link placement.
