The interim could heat up the president’s seat longer than expected.

After rejecting two motions for a selection of a presidential research firm, the board of trustees of North Idaho College tabled the item for a special session to be held before the end of the year at the board meeting on Monday. evening.

“I’m not at all ready to pick a company tonight, but I think we have a bigger problem,” said Chairman of the Board, Todd Banducci. “Honestly, I think now is the time.”

Banducci said he did not think it would be wise to replace the presidency with a new person with no previous experience with the board and the college soon after delivering the ad hoc report due on August 1 to the Northwestern Commission on Colleges and Universities.

NIC accreditation is under review by the NWCCU after a complaint filed by the Kootenai County Human Relations Task Force and Human Rights Task Force for Bonner Counties, Boundary and Spokane on March 12. The report will focus on the governance and administrative leadership of the college.

Administrator Ken Howard objected to the delay while Administrator Christie Wood said it was just for that as the motion set a deadline for the process to take place.

Administrator Greg McKenzie said it has become a trend to keep an interim president between one and three years and would like to see NIC follow suit as he agreed with Banducci on when the presidential change should take place.

Wood said she thought delaying the process any longer was outrageous and would only cause more problems for the college.

The item was delayed at the last meeting as Banducci and administrator Micheal Barnes said they had not had the opportunity to closely review proposals received from various companies and would like more time to review them.

Wood reminded the board of its signed resolution to appoint Vice President of Instruction Lita Burns as interim president, which included the board would immediately ask the college to engage in the process. search for a new president.

With regard to the search committee, the directors appointed Banducci and Howard as co-chairs of the process.

They also adopted the map of the commissioners’ zone and heard comments from the public, which had not been on the agenda since the start of the school year.

During the public comments, Deborah Rose, a resident of Kootenai County, said Barnes was unqualified for his position as a trustee because he no longer resides in Zone 5 and is disqualified under Law 59-901 of Idaho.

“Being in violation of Idaho law by remaining on the NIC board of directors creates reason to question whether Mr. Barnes’ votes were legal and valid,” Rose said.

Barnes did not respond to The Press for comment.