Prior to the beginning of the semester, Kent Probst, staff member since 2003, vacated his position as NIC’s vice president for community relations, forcing NIC to quickly find a replacement to fill the position.
On Aug. 18, John Martin, a former regional director for Sen. Larry Craig, was appointed as interim V.P. by President Priscilla Bell. Probst left to take a position as executive director of the foundation of Peru State College, his alma matter, located in Peru, Neb.
Probst referred to his decision to leave as a difficult one and expressed a great deal of respect for NIC and the community that defines it.
“I really love the community and the region too,” Probst wrote in an e-mail. “NIC made me better, personally and professionally. I gave NIC my best, but I got from it far more than I gave to it.”
Martin’s position is temporary, serving only until a candidate is approved by a selection committee that comprises of faculty and staff to be chosen by a president-appointed chairperson, yet to be named. Searching nation-wide, the committee will look for candidates with substantial communications and management experience.
NIC will advertise for the vacancy for up to five weeks, utilizing local and national publications such as “The Chronicle for Higher Education”, a comprehensive source of news, advice, and job listings for university faculty and administration (www.chronicle.com). The committee is to be formed in the coming weeks and hopes to announce a candidate by February.
As V.P. of Community Relations, Martin serves as strategic adviser to Bell and others in matters relating to communications and public relations.
He also represents NIC as a liaison between the school and government bodies such as the Idaho State Legislature, in order to carry out NIC’s annual state and federal legislative agenda, the top priority of which is the Education Corridor endeavor.
Martin is also responsible for finding and analyzing any new legislation that could impact NIC and maintaining solid communication with linked institutions such as Lewis-Clark State College or the North Idaho Center for Higher Education. In addition, Martin is in charge of resolving citizen inquiries and grievances, including media criticism.
A crucial aspect of the position, Probst referred to this task as the most challenging.
“The region is highly politically charged,” Probst said. “There are some in the community who seem determined to question virtually everything about the college.”
Well equipped to deal with scrutiny, Martin has more than 30 years of experience in human resources. Drafted in 1969, he volunteered for the Air Force, where he began his career in communications, gaining 24 years of experience during his tenure.
Martin holds a master’s degree in management from Troy University in addition to a bachelor’s in education from Frostburg University in Maryland.
He also was a student at Boise State University, where he completed graduate and undergraduate studies.
