A Kootenai County judge ordered North Idaho College to reinstate President Nick Swayne in March 2023, ruling that the board majority did not have the authority to place him on indefinite administrative leave.

Swayne had filed suit after the three-member board majority suspended him in December 2022 for no disciplinary reason and hired an interim replacement. The court found the board’s actions exceeded its authority under Swayne’s contract.

The ruling ordered NIC to pay Swayne $151,316 in attorney fees and costs. The college had already spent over $500,000 on legal fees related to the governance crisis, including payments to multiple attorneys hired by the board majority.

Despite the court order, interim president Greg South remained on the NIC payroll. The simultaneous employment of two presidents became a persistent concern for the accreditor, which identified it as a significant institutional and financial risk.