Tonight's Battle
ENTINEL
of unbeatens: NICva. CSI PAGE 18
Friday, December 6, 1991
North Idaho College's Student Newspaper
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
NIC Symphonic Band plays Boswell Hall PAGE 11
Volume 68 Number 6
Proposal for new dorm examined by Roger Branscome
Sentinel Reporter More student• .ind fewer lowcost rentals in the Coeur d'Alene area ha~ N!C looking into pos\iblc expansions of on-campus housing. The need for on-campus housing wu, discussed during the N IC trustees meeting on Nov. 20. The board looked a t exi~ting dorm problems. grow th in the community , rising cost in off. campus housing and hig her enrollment. "We have known for some lime that we were going to need more dorm space; it's jus1 been a maucr of plouing through other projects until we could get to this one at an appropriJle time," said NIC President Roben 13cnnett. Bennell a,kcd 1he board for permi\~ion to request a proposal from an architect 10 l{1ok into 1he future and come up with n possible dormitory site that will bc~t fi t NIC's need\. Dean of Students David Lindsay said the requesicd propos al deadline is Dec. 16. and from 1hnt point, the decisions will get 1ougher to mnke. At the board meeting. Lindsay recommended lhnt NIC should proceed with building a dorm that could accommodate 200 students. According 10 Lindsny, in a recent survey of 402 NIC s tudents, 53 percent said if NIC had nice and decently priced housing they would live on campus. The present dorms only house 94 students, and during enrollment earlier this fall, 68 students were placed on a waiting Iist. Lindsay did some estimated growth ratios for the boa rd of trustees and cnme up wi th a 40 percent increase in the growth rate for the Coeur d'Alene area by the year 2000. ·'The college can not grow at that rate - we can't handle more then three to five percent in growth a
year:· he ,aid. Bcnncll said if an appropriate building site could be found and bonds issued. the board may approve building as soon as next yenr. Li nllsay \aid the students arc gelling pinched a~ Coeur d'Alene becomes a destination rcson town. Investors arc buying up IO\\·Cost housing and either jacking up the rate, or rebuilding to supply the home buyer's demand. he said. ''The problem is the growth in Coeur d'Alene is cau~i ng fewer and fewer affordable hou~ing. The nverage rent has gone Ufl considerably in the past few yea~." Hennell said. Lindsuy said Coeur d'Alene ha, experienced n 41 ~ percent increase in rent in the past 20 years. In 1970. the average rent NIC students paid in Coeur d'A lene was $73. and in 1990. it was 1,375. Benncll snid,"The opportunitit·s for students arc gelling smullcr and smaller so that pressure is coming bac~ to the college in 1em1s of ·if ~tudents arc to continue 10 come here. we're going to hn,•e to have a place 10 put them."' Dennett also said the Fort Sherman Apartments are facing some probl ems with fi re inspections. "If something should happen there, and they were not be able to function, then we would have all of those students to accommodate; however. I'm not suggesting that wi 11 happen." The mortgage on the existing dorm has been paid off, interest rates are low and rentals would pay for a new dorm without interfering with other fu nding budgets. ''We are having to make some adjustments for student housing, and I don't think there is a more appropriate time to do it," said Be nnett. ( See related story DORM Page 3)
photo by Kathy Hostetter
YES, THERE IS A SANTA CLAUS-And he's right behind that tree! Brayden Jerde, from the NIC
Children's Center, catches Santa's helper (student Mike Wigle) in a surprise, pre-Christmas visit.
Registration week begins Continuing vocational students
Continuing academic students
Registration for continuing vocational student registration is today. Registration is by the program of enrollmenl. All programs register in Room 118 of the Hedlund Vocational Bui lding except computer science/business, law enforcement. business and office education programs, which register in the Bonner Room.
Registration will be held in the Bonner Room of the Student Union Building. Time is determined by the fi~ t letter of the last name. Ilfi:...2 (Sophomores 9:30: I :00: S: '.!:00: Q.R only) ~ 8:30: O,P: 9:30: 8:30: S-2; 9:30: M-R: M,N; I:00:K.L: 2:00: l,J I:00: H-L; 2:00: A-0 ~ 8:30: H; 9:30:F, ~ 8:30: W-2; G; I:00: C.D: 2:00: A, B