Swayne faces lawmakers, touts rising enrollment

North Idaho College President Nick Swayne touted the school’s growing enrollment Wednesday when he addressed the Idaho House and Senate education committees in Boise.

During the fall semester, 4,590 students were enrolled at NIC, an increase of about 15% over the previous year. Spring enrollment numbers aren’t yet final, though Swayne said he expects to see an increase of about 23% over this time last year. 

Swayne said NIC is bucking a downward trend that has existed since around 2010. At that time, more than 6,000 students were enrolled at NIC, a number that dropped between 3% and 6% each subsequent year. Now enrollment numbers are rising consistently for the first time in more than a decade. 

“I expect we’ll be back above 6,000 in another year and that’s where we should be,” Swayne told legislators. 

Sen. Van Burtenshaw, R-Terreton, inquired about the relationship between enrollment numbers and NIC’s accreditation woes. 

Swayne acknowledged the impact of the “turmoil” of the past two years. The college wasn’t marketing effectively, he said, and employee turnover at NIC and in local school districts amid the “COVID hangover” made it harder to recruit students from area high schools. 

“Working with the high schools, recruiting and marketing have really turned around our numbers,” he said. 

Over the past seven months or so, Swayne said, governance has stabilized at NIC. He believes that has a positive effect on enrollment. 

“Things have calmed down a lot,” he said. “You’re not hearing bad news stories from our governance issues. I think all that comes together and has really helped us out.” 

Sen. Tammy Nichols, R-Middleton, asked Swayne and other community college presidents who addressed the committee to share what they’re doing to make college affordable for students. 

Swayne pointed to two key areas. First, he said, NIC held off on filling certain vacant positions when enrollment numbers dipped, which helped the college manage costs. As enrollment rises, Swayne said NIC is filling vacant positions as needed. 

NIC’s recent decision to eliminate the men’s and women’s golf teams will also affect the bottom line for the college and students alike, Swayne said. Cutting the program will save $600,000 and is part of a plan to reduce athletics spending by about $1.8 million over the next two years. 

“Athletics ballooned under the last board,” he said, referring to a budget that grew from $2.2 million to $6.2 million during the last two school years. “We are now getting that back under control. We have to, if we’re going to keep costs under control.”