Motsinger joins incumbents Bradley, Morgan on SIC board

HARRISBURG - In the race for three seats on the Southeastern Illinois College Board of Trustees, incumbents Blake Bradley and Richard A. Morgan will both retain their seats while challenger Mark A. Motsinger will be seated on the third spot.

Bradley had 2,883 votes while Morgan had 2,833 votes and Motsinger followed with 2,831.

"I have long ties with Southeastern," said Motsinger, whose father was among the second group of original hires in 1961.

Motsinger was employed at SIC for 18 years before leaving to become a secondary school teacher in 2002.

"Southeastern is an important part of the community," Motsinger said. "I want to be a part of keeping the college a viable economic driving force within the community."

Motsinger said that decreasing enrollments and ongoing economic problems faced by colleges across the nation are part of the problems he hopes to address as a member of the board.

He also noted that the role of community colleges has changed.

"It's evolved over the years," Motsinger said. "I hope I can help to take it to the next era."

In all, Motsinger said he hopes to honor his dad's legacy. "My dad said that the true show of what you've done is if the place is better because you were there. I hope I can make Southeastern a better place and continue to make it a better part of this community."

The Daily Register was unable to reach Bradley and Morgan.