In a series of contentious meetings in December 2022, the North Idaho College board majority voted to place President Nick Swayne on indefinite administrative leave without citing any disciplinary reason. The same board majority hired a new attorney without going through a standard application or interview process.
The decisions triggered immediate backlash from faculty, staff, students, and community members. They also prompted multiple lawsuits, including one from Swayne seeking reinstatement. The accrediting commission issued a second warning to the college, and Moody’s Investor Service downgraded NIC’s bond rating, affecting $7.9 million in rated debt.
The board later acknowledged that some of its December meetings may have violated Idaho’s open meeting laws. The turmoil would escalate further in early 2023 when the accreditor issued its most severe sanction.