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This public college was taken over by the far-right—a warning for the future of higher ed

North Idaho College , a two-year community college in Coeur d'Alene, faces possible loss of accreditation by April 2025 due to board dysfunction and governance issues.
The accreditation troubles began in 2020 following charter violations unrelated to academics, amid a far-right board majority gained about four years ago and growing political influence from the Idaho Freedom Foundation .
The IFF exerts influence through efforts such as its Freedom Index and takes credit for the Idaho legislature's decision to reduce university funding by $2.5 million and enact legislation addressing Critical Race Theory, despite a separate inquiry concluding there was no proof of harassment or ideological coercion at NIC.
NIC serves many low-income students, offers the state's top nursing program, and supports the local economy, which would lose $60 million and 1,300 jobs if the college shuts down, according to an independent city-commissioned analysis.
Despite hiring college president Nick Swayne and ongoing remediation efforts with cautious optimism, failure to resolve governance issues could cause NIC to vanish, jeopardizing higher education access in North Idaho.

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This public college was taken over by the far-right—a warning for the future of higher ed

Economic Hardship Reporting Project, Teen Vogue and Lux Magazine report that North Idaho College, a two-year community college, might go under because issues with the board of trustees threaten its accreditation.

8 days ago·Calhoun, United States

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