LEWISTON,
Idaho – With the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon this summer in Sandpoint,
Lewis-Clark State College embarked on a new cooperative initiative with North
Idaho College (NIC).
In
fall 2012, North Idaho College completed an extensive renovation of the old
Sandpoint High School with the aim to accommodate a new administrative and
classroom center for NIC. The center, called NIC at Sandpoint, was
completed in response to growing student enrollment from Boundary and Bonner
counties and NIC’s commitment to offer a full associate’s degree in North Idaho
by fall 2013.
“The
next logical step was to offer bachelor’s degrees,” explained Rocky Owens,
Director of LCSC-Coeur d’Alene.
Noting
that LCSC maintains a historical tradition to serve outreach students with
bachelor’s degrees, Sandpoint public officials, state legislators, and NIC
administration encouraged LCSC to consider a presence in Idaho’s northernmost
counties. LCSC-CDA has been an active supporter and partner with NIC in
offering degree opportunities in Coeur d’Alene for some 30 years and will
continue to support efforts to increase transfer opportunities for Sandpoint
students. While the CDA Center continues to serve as the hub of operations
for Region 1, LCSC-CDA officials believe that opportunities exist to expand
LC’s presence in Sandpoint by maintaining a staff presence there, increasing
institutional marketing, and facilitating course delivery technology to make
LCSC courses more accessible.
As
part of the initiative, during the fall 2013 semester LCSC-CDA will offer an
on-site class in Sandpoint that fulfills an upper division core requirement for
all LCSC bachelor’s degrees. LCSC-CDA will also be offering instruction
via video conferencing and sharing office and classroom space with NIC.
LCSC-CDA advisors will regularly be on-hand, making contact with current and
future students.
At
the dedication ceremony in Sandpoint, LCSC President J. Anthony (Tony)
Fernández emphasized the importance of ties between North Idaho College and
LCSC.
“This
is just another example of the close relationship between NIC and LCSC,” said
Fernández. “We value this relationship and look forward to doing more, along
with NIC, for the citizens of Region 1.”
Fernández
and Owens, along with Lori Stinson, LCSC Interim Provost and Vice President for
Academic Affairs, Chet Herbst, LCSC Vice President for Finance and
Administration, Kathy Martin, LCSC Dean for Community Programs and Governmental
Relations, NIC President Joe Dunlap, NIC Vice President Ron Dorn, and members
of the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee gathered at the Sandpoint
center for the occasion.
Owens
called the ceremony, “recognition of future things to come with regard to what
we can build in Sandpoint.”
Photo
attached (left – right): Ron Dorn, Joe Dunlap, J. Anthony (Tony)
Fernández, Kathy Martin, and Chet Herbst
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