Nic Debates Naming Hall For Schuler

At best, Barry Schuler would be hard to find.

At worst, he’d open old wounds.

That’s what North Idaho College staff are saying about a proposal to name an auditorium after the controversial college president.

College trustees next week will consider christening a performing arts arena in Boswell Hall after Schuler, who ran the college for 18 years before resigning under fire in 1986.

The college senate - a body of faculty, staff and students - this week recommended against the move on decidedly unemotional grounds.

“The main reason was the potential for confusion,” said Steve Schenk, dean of relations. “Would people new to campus be able to find the Barry Schuler Auditorium inside Boswell Hall?”

Others said the stain of Schuler’s resignation would tarnish the memory of Joyce Boswell, an admired speech teacher whose name graces the building.

“To honor someone who left under a cloud seems pretty questionable to me,” said English Department Chair Virginia Johnson.

Schuler came under fire 10 years ago after not re-hiring contract journalism instructor Nils Rosdahl, who oversaw the student newspaper. The paper had criticized Schuler for allowing NIC to pay for landscape improvements for his daughter’s on-campus wedding.

Schuler paid for the improvements after newspapers on and off campus pointed out they were made at school expense. Schuler also said Rosdahl’s job loss was unrelated.

Later that year two other men lost their jobs: Associate dean Dennis Conners, who advised Schuler not to control the editorial content of the student paper; and dean Owen Cargol, who backed Conners.

Schuler was accused of being a tyrant and earned a no-confidence vote by NIC faculty. He announced his resignation in April 1986.

Former trustee Don Sausser said Schuler’s departure should not overshadow all that he accomplished. That includes erecting a half-dozen new college buildings, the acquiring land for expansion and forming a college foundation.

“Unfortunately there are some people who don’t want to let go of bad feelings after nine years,” Sausser said. “When you start doing things, you make enemies and he did a lot.”

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: At issue Trustees will make a decision at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Kootenai Room at NIC.