Last Straw:They put North Idaho College's accreditation and budget on the line

The record

• Between 2018 and 2022 the KCRCC placed three endorsed trustees on the NIC board: Banducci, McKenzie and Waggoner.¹
• Together they formed a 3-of-5 majority that fired the college president.¹
• Banducci led the vote to fire President Nick MacLennan without cause.²
• The firing cost taxpayers about $500,000, including a $250,000 insurer settlement and a year of salary and benefits.³
• The athletics budget ballooned from $2.2 million to $6.2 million after the three trustees voted to cover every athlete's full costs, regardless of residency.⁴
• The accreditor called it a "multimillion-dollar burden" and a "substantial hidden tax" on academics.⁴
• The accreditor's report tied the $4 million increase to an expected $5.2 million budget deficit.⁵
• The accreditor's report found Banducci believed his job was to purge the college of "deep state" administrators.⁶
• The accreditor found the majority's actions drove out all three vice presidents and a dean.⁷
• The president reported credible allegations that Banducci physically assaulted a female employee at a college event in 2019.⁷
• Banducci and McKenzie sued to block state-appointed trustees from joining the board and lost. The suit was paid for with college money.⁸
• NIC went through three consecutive presidents under the KCRCC majority.⁹
• In March 2023 Regan listed the accreditation complaints, including "Trustee Banducci said mean things to Trustee Wood," and wrote: "These complaints are trivial."¹⁰
• He wrote that the president "repeatedly refused to cooperate with the board and was fired." The state's insurer paid $250,000 to settle the president's wrongful termination suit.¹¹³
• Voters removed the last endorsed trustees in November 2024. The accreditor lifted its final sanction on Feb. 9, 2026.¹²¹³

Who

• Todd BanducciTrustee who led the vote to fire the president.
• Gregory McKenzieTrustee.
• Mike WaggonerTrustee; a former trustee wrote he "voted to support almost every bad decision" of the bloc.
• Brent ReganChaired the KCRCC that endorsed all three.

Sources

1. North Idaho College: the full storyRigged Red Card
2. A polarizing presence, at the center of North Idaho College's dysfunctionIdaho Capital Sun · April 2022 (archive)
3. Former North Idaho College President to receive $500K of compensation after his firingKREM · 2022 (archive)
4. North Idaho College to cut athletics budget by $1.8 millionKREM · December 2024 (archive)
5. NIC cuts golf to start balancing athletics budget and retain accreditationIdaho Education News · December 2024 (archive)
6. North Idaho College accreditation threatened by trustees' actions, report saysSpokane Public Radio · March 2022 (archive)
7. North Idaho College's accreditation at risk as commission investigates Board of Trustees conductSpokesman-Review via Wenatchee World · May 2021 (archive)
8. North Idaho College board sees new chairman as 3 new trustees joinSpokesman-Review · May 2022 (archive)
9. Six candidates vie for North Idaho College board as final accreditation decision loomsSpokesman-Review · October 2024 (archive)
10. OPINION: Canceling NICCoeur d'Alene Press, by Brent Regan · March 2023 (archive)
11. OPINION: NIC accreditation factsCoeur d'Alene Press, by Brent Regan · October 2024 (archive)
12. North Idaho College retains accreditationCoeur d'Alene Press · February 2026 (archive)
13. North Idaho College: the full storyRigged Red Card