In brief: NIC faculty considering Hanson no-confidence vote

North Idaho College faculty members are considering a vote of no confidence in NIC Vice President for Instruction Barbara Hanson.

A motion was introduced at a faculty assembly meeting Thursday. Faculty members have until Monday to vote via secret ballot.

“There’s just been a general attitude of discontent in the way that the vice president has dealt with decision making,” said NIC English instructor Bob Bennett, who was elected chairman of the faculty assembly at the meeting. Bennett said the vote should be tallied by Tuesday.

Hanson, who started at NIC in August, has made changes such as creating department deanships and splitting the math and science departments – moves that contributed to the faculty discontent.

Hanson and interim NIC President Priscilla Bell plan to meet with the faculty assembly next week.

Hanson said the vote of no confidence “does seem a little premature” but that she’s confident she can work through any problems.

– Meghann M. Cuniff

Boundary County

Schools, ex-workers settle

A $550,000 settlement has been reached in a federal class action suit filed against the former owners of three private behavioral schools based in Boundary County.

Former employees of CEDU schools filed the class action against the schools’ parent company, The Brown Schools Inc., after the company filed for bankruptcy and abruptly closed the schools in March 2005.

Employees who filed the class action claimed The Brown Schools violated the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification act by shutting down the facilities without providing 60 days’ notice to employees.

The schools were bought by Universal Health Services Inc., which reopened them and rehired some employees.

According to court records, about 700 employees lost their jobs as a result of the closures.

– Taryn Brodwater

Priest River, Idaho

Students’ expulsions upheld

The West Bonner school board unanimously voted during its meeting Wednesday evening to uphold the punishments of three senior students expelled from school for exposing themselves to a sleeping freshman during a band trip to Nelson, B.C., and videotaping it more than two weeks ago. All of the students involved are male.

The parents of two of the students appealed the punishment, which bans them from participating in the graduation ceremony or the prom.

“The board reviewed it,” said board Chairman Leonard Parenteau. “The decision was to uphold what has already been proposed as consequences.”

The three seniors can finish their high school careers at the district’s alternative school.

The trio was arrested in Nelson after the victim’s father learned of the incident, which they said was meant to be a prank. The three spent about 10 hours in the Nelson jail before posting bond.

Canadian authorities have not made a decision on charges and are trying to decide if assault fits the circumstances, according to the Associated Press.

– Meghann M. Cuniff