North Idaho College is in good standing with its accreditor for the first time in three years, college leaders learned Monday.

The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, which accredits colleges across the Northwest, notified NIC Monday that the Coeur d’Alene school met all requirements to be taken off accreditation probation.

“Regaining good standing is a testament to the strength and perseverance of NIC students, employees and community,” NIC President Nick Swayne said. “The strength of this college lies in its people, those who refused to give up and stood firm against the chaos. With the distractions behind us, we can now focus entirely on delivering the quality education and opportunities our students expect and deserve.”

Issues began at the college in April 2022 when the accreditation commission issued a warning sanction. In February 2023, that warning escalated into a show-cause sanction due to concerns over board governance and institutional integrity, both largely related to the college’s board of trustees.

At the time, the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee had endorsed a majority of trustees. The board routinely held lengthy and conflict-ridden meetings. Trustees had issues with legal counsel and hiring and retaining a university president. 

The commission extended the sanction in March 2024. A new slate of trustees were elected in November of that year, and in February 2025 the commission reduced the sanction to a year-long probation. 

Since then, commission reports on the college have focused on maintaining positive changes in governance.

“We’re ecstatic to see the hard work of everyone at NIC be rewarded,” board chair Tarie Zimmerman said. “The board has worked deliberately to address past issues, restore effective governance, and ensure the college is positioned to serve students and the community with integrity and accountability. This is a special day.”

The accreditor in its Monday letter commended NIC for “its meaningful progress and continued engagement in this process.”

College staff remained focused on students throughout the years-long ordeal, Swayne said: “Our commitment to providing high-quality education did not change. We continued to teach, support students and serve this community.”